


Legend of Zelda: Symbol of Peace

by mattybeach



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Quirks (My Hero Academia), BAMF Yaoyorozu Momo, Dead Yagi Toshinori | All Might, Midoriya Izuku is the Hero of Legend, Multi, POV Uraraka Ochako, POV Yaoyorozu Momo, The Legend of Zelda AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-23
Updated: 2019-09-27
Packaged: 2019-10-15 04:38:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 35,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17522132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mattybeach/pseuds/mattybeach
Summary: The Legend of Zelda: the Symbol of Peace"Ducking under a large, felled oak, Katsuki found himself in a shimmering clearing. Small, invisible shapes seemed to disturb the brush around him.Undeterred, Katsuki’s eyes scanned the grove until he saw it.The Sword.There it sat in all its splendor, light cutting through the trees to illuminate it, as if providing an invitation.Taking a deep breath, Katsuki smirked before approaching the blade, noting the concentric triangles that created the platform. The blade itself was imbedded roughly midway into the triangular dais, and the youth could almost feel the power surging from the sword.Steadying himself, Katsuki planted his feet in front of the sword, relishing the moment and attempting to etch the beginning of his destiny into his memory. With slightly trembling hands, the boy took hold of the long hilt with his right, then his left…...and pulled."





	1. The Sword

**Author's Note:**

> This is a work of transformative fiction. The characters of My Hero Academia are the property of Kohei Horikoshi, Shueisha, and Shounen Jump.  
> The Legend of Zelda was created by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuku, published by Nintendo.  
> I do not own the rights to either of these properties

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things don't go the way Katsuki expects.

A single torch illuminated the dense fog that permeated the deep greens of the forest. The sounds of footsteps emanating from the footfalls of the lone traveler cut through the gloom before quickly being swallowed back into the overwhelming silence. Occasionally a fox or deer would notice the shift in atmosphere, darting off deeper to avoid being spotted by the intimidating youth making his way through the darkness.

 

“Can’t see shit…” He mumbled, his crimson eyes darting around, looking for any telltale signs of travel in the dense woods. “It’d be a hell of a lot easier if this place wasn’t so fucking dark.”

The young man paused before spotting a lone brazier. Jogging up to it, he quickly lit the small pile of twigs that were conspicuously left behind. Deciding to ignore the implications of someone or  _ something _ leaving behind kindling, he took a moment to collect his thoughts by the comforting glow of the fire. 

 

Running a hand through his unruly, spiky hair, Katsuki decided to take a small swig from his waterskin before hooking it back to his belt. He took some small comfort from the simple traveler’s sword that hung from his belt, and set back off into the woods. All the while, blissfully unaware of the pair of emerald eyes that followed his every move through the trees.

  
  


Ducking under a large, felled oak, Katsuki found himself in a shimmering clearing. Small, invisible shapes seemed to disturb the brush around him. Undeterred, Katsuki’s eyes scanned the grove until he saw it.

 

_ ‘The Sword.’ _

 

There it sat in all its splendor, light cutting through the trees to illuminate it, as if providing an invitation.

 

Taking a deep breath, Katsuki smirked before approaching the blade, noting the concentric triangles that created the platform. The blade itself was imbedded roughly midway into the triangular dais, and the youth could almost  _ feel _ the power surging from the sword. Steadying himself, Katsuki planted his feet in front of the sword, relishing the moment and attempting to etch the beginning of his destiny into his memory. With slightly trembling hands, the boy took hold of the long hilt with his right, then his left…

 

And pulled.

 

…

 

And pulled again.

 

…

 

Again...?

  
  


“What the- no… This can’t be right…”

 

The blade, uncaring of his predicament, refused to budge.

 

“Why won’t you move?” Katsuki pleaded, his voice wavering despite his best efforts. “It’s supposed to be  _ me _ . I-I’m the strongest in my village! I have courage! Why the fuck won’t you  **_move!?_ ** ”

 

As the blade refused to move once more, Katsuki took to the only thing he knew.

 

He swore.

 

“ **_Why the fuck aren’t you moving!? It’s supposed to be me! I’m the hero! I know I am! Just fucking move you stupid goddamn piece of SHIT!_ ** ” He screamed the last word with a kick to the blade before stumbling backward, nearly crushing a small collection of white flowers.Tears began to stream from his eyes before he had a chance to stop himself. Never once in his sixteen years had he been refused  _ anything _ . 

 

So why now?

 

Without warning, a voice that seemed to emit from the sword directly into his mind called out to him.

 

_ “Though your heart is fierce, you are not my champion. You are not my hero.” _

Katsuki roared in anger before rising to his feet, wiping his eyes with a furious swipe. 

 

“I DON’T NEED YOU. I’LL BE THE HERO WITHOUT YOUR STUPID POWER.”

 

He quickly collected his torch and sprinted back in the direction he came.

 

…

 

_ “You may come out now, young one.” _

 

The second boy, who had been hiding up until this point, sheepishly peeked out from behind the tree he had selected to witness the scene unfold.

 

_ “Why do you hide, child?” _

 

The boy flinched, rubbing his arm and considering his answer.

 

“I was afraid of Kacchan seeing me and getting even angrier.”

 

_ “You have nothing to fear from him, he is already well out of earshot.”  _ The voice sounded almost… feminine as it reassured the boy.  _ “Now, please come closer.” _

 

The boy glanced around before slowly picking his way over to the sword.

 

_ “What is your name, boy?” _

 

“I-Izuku.”

 

_ “Izuku, I sense something in you. Please touch my hilt.” _

 

Izuku winced. “A-are you sure?”

 

_ “Please.” _

 

Izuku, now shaking, felt his hand raise almost of its own volition, to rest his fingers on the pommel.

 

The minute his skin made contact, a bright golden flash shone through the clearing, nearly blinding Izuku and causing him to retract his hand as if he had been burned.

 

 _“It_ ** _is_** _you. You are reborn,_ ** _my_** **_champion_** _.”_

 

“W-what!? N-no! It’s not me! I’m not brave! Or strong! Please you’ve made a mistake!”

 

_ “Hylia does not make mistakes, she has chosen you, young one. Hero, your spirit is bound to mine, remove me from the pedestal and accept your destiny..”  _ Izuku felt his head spin, and unable to support his own weight, he fell backward.

 

_ “What is the matter? Why do you hesitate? It is time.” _

 

Izuku scrambled to his feet and shook his head. “N-no, you’re wrong, I’m sorry. I need to go!” 

 

Clenching his fists, Izuku turned and ran as fast as he could, ignoring the soft pleading of the sword behind him.

 

* * *

 

 

Izuku snuck into the village by mid afternoon just as a large commotion was violently wreaking havoc in the town center.

 

Izuku was fortunate to live in a village just south of the Great Hyrule Forest. Musutafu Village prided itself on being in close proximity to the fabled home of the Blade of Evil’s Bane, and Izuku was raised on the legends of heroes of the past. He idolized the most recent hero, who had passed over a century prior. Tales of his might still lingered on the lips of the denizens of Hyrule, and every child who had heard said tales believed that perhaps  _ they _ could be the one to save the land in their own time. 

 

No one  _ wanted _ the return of the fabled Ganon, but all knew that should he return, a champion of courage would arise to defeat him. 

 

Unfortunately, everyone’s fears had begun to manifest; Princess Zelda revealed that she had received prophetic dreams detailing that Ganon would return, and  _ soon _ . This could only mean that the new champion had arrived as well, and the Kingdom of Hyrule sent out official documents across the land beseeching the hero to make themselves known as soon as possible.

 

This is what led to a blonde boy tearing his way through Musutafu Village, furiously buying up every supply he could carry, loudly shouting something about saving Hyrule with or without a sword’s help.

 

Izuku jogged in the direction of the swearing, and spotted his childhood ‘friend,’ sporting a new black and red Hylian tunic, his mother’s traveler’s sword at his hip, and a pack slung over his shoulder.

 

“Kacchan!”

 

Katsuki turned to Izuku’s direction, glaring at the boy he had spent most of his childhood tormenting. “What the hell do you want, Deku?”

 

Izuku winced at the nickname, “I… I just wanted to know what you were doing?”

 

Katsuki sneered, “I’m gonna go be the hero, Deku. Time to leave this stupid village and defeat this fucking Ganon thing. Then everyone will know  _ I’m _ the real hero of legend.”

 

Izuku shifted, “A-are you sure? It’s really dangerous out there, and-”

 

“ _ Don’t question me! _ This is why you’ll always be a little Deku scrub...” Katsuki grunted as he shoved past Izuku. “Now get out of my way and let a  _ real _ man through.”

 

Izuku curled in on himself, deciding to avoid questioning Katsuki further. He knew he was no match for the taller boy. They’d grown up and trained together since childhood, with Izuku always behind Katsuki in everything from fighting to archery. Hell, the only thing Izuku felt he was better at was his ability to absorb information, if his numerous leather bound journals with copious notes on every new fact or scrap of information he could find were anything to go by.

Izuku watched Katsuki storm in and out of several more small shops and stands before finally making his way along the path out of town without looking back.

 

* * *

 

 

_ “Toshinori! Do it now! Finish him!” _

 

_ The blond Hylian winced, his arms burned with exhaustion. Ignoring the pain was difficult, but he surged forward toward the giant porcine monster in front of him. _

 

_ The creature squealed in rage, its cries coming out as if through some odd distortion, sounding far too deep and demonic. Toshinori steeled himself, crying out in pain as the monster managed to spear his abdomen with a trident.  _

 

_ “NO, I WON’T LET YOU!”  _

 

_ Toshinori roared through the pain, driving the glowing blade into the creature’s forehead and stopping it cold. _

 

_ “Now, it’s my turn,” a woman shouted, her features obscured by the golden glow that radiated from her.  _

 

_ “Be sealed, demon! In the name of the Goddess Hylia ,I banish you once more!” On the set of three triangles on the back of her hand, the lower left one began to glow with a blinding golden light before more spread forth from her palm to envelop the beast, whose form began to dissipate in purple and black smoke.  _

 

_ “Begone, Ganon! Back to the darkness from whence you came!” _

 

_ An unholy shriek pierced the air as the vapor began writhing in an almost sentient manner, but was unable to escape the cage of pure energy that surrounded it. The light condensed into a larger set of the triangles found on the woman’s hand, all three glowing with radiant power and forming a pyramid of solid golden light that encapsulated the beast and began to thrum with a crackling of one thousand storms. The prison shone brighter than before, and the glow shot out in all directions, casting a blinding light before blinking out in an instant. _

 

_ The beast was gone, and the two who remained instantly collapsed in exhaustion. _

 

_ “Toshinori, we did it!” The woman exclaimed lazily in her tired and breathless state. _

 

_ “Y-yes, Princess. We did.” _

 

* * *

 

 

Izuku snapped awake, his body drenched in sweat as he reflexively clutched his abdomen, feeling a numb ache from the trident that had entered his- no,  _ Toshinori’s _ midsection.

 

_ ‘Who was that man? He seemed so familiar...’ _

 

This had been the third night in a row that Izuku had dreamt of a hero bearing a sword and a woman who bore magic.

 

Each time the hero was different, once the man was younger, wearing a green cap and tunic and fighting against a large man wearing Gerudo attire. Another had been a woman with dark flowing hair, wearing armor that consisted of black and red with a white cape, fighting alongside another woman dressed in shades of blue wearing a golden crown who stood against a giant beast that stood as tall as any redwood.

 

Izuku woke every time with the same feeling.

 

_ ‘I need to go back to the sword.’ _

 

The boy shuddered, the very thought creeping unbidden into his mind. He knew that this must be the sword’s doing, but he just couldn’t figure out how or why.

 

As he stared out his window and into the night sky, he felt a tug at his heart and promptly gave in.

 

He wasn’t sure how, but he knew that he wouldn’t feel right unless he went  _ immediately _ .

 

* * *

 

 

_ “You have returned, my champion.” _

 

Izuku nodded, shifting uncomfortably in his night clothes, his cloak doing little to combat the chill that had crept into his bones during his trek back through the forest.

 

_ “Why do you run from me?” _

 

Izuku shivered, “I… I was afraid. I’m not the strongest, o-or the bravest. I don’t know why Hylia would pick me.”

 

The sword seemed as surprised as an inanimate object could seem, its faint glow seeming to flicker for a moment.

 

_ “I see your heart, Izuku. You are mine and I am yours. I know that your soul is that of the hero’s, and when the time comes, you will realize your true strength. For now, I would like to test you, if that is acceptable to you?” _

 

Izuku nodded, “Okay, what do you need me to do?”

 

_ “Grasp the hilt with both hands, and don’t let go.” _

 

Izuku shivered once again before shuffling towards the intimidating blade.

 

He grasped the hilt with both hands…

 

...and in a burst of fractured blue light, he vanished.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well there you have it! First chapter of a new fic! I hope it was alright! If you haven't already, check out my first fic, Young Midoriya: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17192390/chapters/40424441  
> This is a fun side project that I plan to work on to help me get more experience as a writer.  
> If you are interested, I'm planning on potentially creating a discord for Young Midoriya and including this fic as part of it.  
> Things are very off the walls, and this is an entirely unique story set apart from any previous Legend of Zelda stories.
> 
> UPDATE: after speaking with Toony(READ SAFE HAVEN ALREADY IT IS GOLD.) who was kind enough to not only beta read, but edit and brainstorm, the fic is now the Symbol of Peace  
> I forgot about Oracle of Ages, and since Link is the Hero of Ages in that I uh... yeah, didn't want any confusion. So here we are.


	2. Training Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku enters the Realm of the Sword.

Izuku felt every atom of his body being disassembled into particles of light and reassembled in a completely new location within the span of a few seconds. The only sensation he was aware of was pure, unadulterated fear.

 

When he felt ground beneath his feet again, air flooded his lungs and he did the one thing he could think of given his situation.

 

He panicked.

 

Frantically patting himself down to make sure that he was still whole, he began to calm himself down to assess his situation, his breath still struggling to catch up.

 

When he finally began to relax a bit, he found that he was standing in a forest, but things were…  _ off _ .

 

For one, forests didn’t generally have walls, and he was fairly certain that the sky wasn’t supposed to look like that. A bright blue light emanating from what appeared to be an endless void above him .

 

As Izuku attempted to secure his bearings, he was made aware of the fact that he was no longer in his nightclothes. Now he stood wearing a simple, gray long sleeve shirt under a white tunic with gray pants and boots. It was comfortable, if a little underwhelming.

 

“Where am I?”

 

“Ah, well that is an excellent question, young man.”

 

The presence of another voice snapped Izuku out of his trance, forcing him to spin around and spot a shadowy figure that hadn’t been there just a moment ago.

 

“W-Who are you?”

 

The figure, whose features Izuku was slowly becoming able to discern, chuckled at the boy.

 

“I am… well… I suppose I’m not  _ you _ , but something more like your past self?” He raised a bony hand to an equally bony chin, “No… That’s not quite right either… I am... ”

 

“Toshinori?” 

 

The figure jumped, clearly surprised to hear his given name, “That’s right… How did you know that?”

 

Izuku shook his head, “I… I saw you in my dream, I saw you seal Ganon.”

 

Toshinori smiled in remembrance, “That was a hard day. Zelda and I were barely able to take the demon down.”

 

As the man came into view, it was obvious the man was the same Toshinori from his vision. The two had the same unruly golden hair, identical twin bangs flowing down. They also had the same piercing blue eyes, in fact the only thing that separated this Toshinori from his dream was how  _ gaunt _ this version was.

 

“You haven’t told me your name, young man.”

 

Izuku started, letting his eyes snap back to Toshinori’s. “R-Right! Izuku, sir!”

 

The older man chuckled before extending a hand for Izuku to shake. “It’s nice to meet you, Izuku.”

 

As Izuku took in more of the man’s appearance, something started to bug him in the back of his mind. The man’s armor, which consisted of a half plate trimmed in red and gold over a blue tunic, seemed vaguely familiar to him. ‘ _ I have seen that somewhere before…’ _

 

Realization hit the boy like a Lynel.

 

“You’re  **_the_ ** hero! The one from legend! The  **_mighty_ ** hero! That’s you!” Izuku’s eyes brightened in excitement.

 

Toshinori laughed, “Is that what they’re calling me now? Zelda would have loved that.”

 

Izuku bowed low. “It’s an honor to meet you, Sir.”

 

Toshinori walked up and pat the boy on the back. “There’s no need for that now, son. I’m not the hero anymore, that’s your job now.”

 

Izuku winced. “I… I don’t know about that. I think the sword made a mistake.”

 

Toshinori laughed again. “Sorry kiddo, the sword doesn’t make mistakes. If she says you’re the one, then you’re the one.”

 

Izuku frowned, feeling anxiety bubble up inside him. “I just… It would be so much easier if it were Kacchan. He’s braver than I am, stronger too. Compared to him, I’m just… just a…”

 

Toshinori rest a firm hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Son, I’m not sure who this ‘Kacchan’ is, but I can assure you that if the sword says you’re the one, even if you don’t feel like it now, you  _ can  _ be a hero. I know you can do it, in fact you’re not that different from me at your age.”

 

Izuku stood upright, wiping away the tears from his eyes before they had a chance to fall. “You… you mean that?”

 

Toshinori nodded. “I do. Now, stand up straight! If you’re going to become the hero you need to be, I need to see what you know!”

 

Suddenly a traveler’s sword and wooden shield appeared at his feet, startling him and causing him to jump back.

 

“Go ahead and grab them,” Toshinori urged as he grabbed his own soldiers broadsword and wooden shield.

 

Izuku looked hesitantly at the sword before grasping the hilt, taking a few swings to feel the balance. He may not be as good as Kacchan, but he’d spent just as much time as him training with the village soldiers.

 

“That seems like a good weight for you for now. At least until we can bulk you up a bit.”

Izuku whimpered, suddenly reminded of how thin he was.

 

“Oh stop whining, let’s get going! Come at me Young Izuku!”

 

Izuku forced his insecurities from his head, followed his new instructor’s guidance, and charged.

 

* * *

 

“Well, you’ve got the fundamentals down, but your reaction time, strength, and footwork all need work.”

 

Izuku groaned from his place on the ground, greedily gulping down air and attempting to ignore the stinging of the new bruises on his body. He was thankful that the blades didn’t actually cut him in whatever plane of existence this was, but that didn’t mean getting struck by a broadsword by an adult man hurt any less.

 

They’d been going at it for what felt to Izuku like hours. Toshinori explained that he’d need to try and catch up on sleep when he could, and provided the ingredients necessary to concoct a stamina elixir to help him get through the rest of his day.

 

Izuku wasn’t thrilled by the prospect of boiling down bugs, lizards, or frogs, but at the very least he knew that he could get his hands on cheap monster parts from the local shop in his village.

“You’ll find a chest with some rupees in a tree hole directly right of the sword. Take whatever you need to get by, it should be enough.”

 

Izuku nodded and rose. “Thank you Toshinori. When should I return?”

 

“Tomorrow, and every evening until the sword deems you ready.”

 

Izuku sighed. “Yeah, okay. I’ll just have to work extra hard then, right?”

 

Toshinori smiled with a large, toothy grin. “That’s right, son. I’ll see you then.”

 

Izuku then felt himself dematerialize once again, and before he knew it he was standing back in the forest with the sword.

 

_ “You did well, champion. Continue on this path and do not be discouraged. I will see you tomorrow evening.” _

 

“Right,” Izuku agreed with a nod.

 

* * *

 

Izuku was fortunate that his window was so close to the ground, making sneaking in and out easy. He didn’t wish to disturb his mother, she had enough on her plate raising Izuku alone as his father was traveling and selling goods most of the time to provide for them. Izuku snuck into his bedroom in the early hours of the morning, managing to get at least a couple hours of rest before he heard his mother calling to him that it was time to open the shop.

 

* * *

 

With a heavy groan, Izuku stumbled into the family store, tying his apron in a loose knot, attempting in vain to rub the sleep from his eyes.

 

“Izuku?” His mother looked concern as she stared at him, “Are you alright sweetie? Did you not get enough sleep?”

 

Izuku shook his head. “Don’t worry Mom, some dreams were keeping me up last night. I’ll be okay.”

 

His mother, Inko, looked concerned once more before nodding and continuing to open the shop.

 

Izuku shuffled around, seeing if they had any of the parts Toshinori had mentioned to create a stamina elixir.

 

“Jackpot,” he hissed as he found a jar of preserved tireless frogs along with some bokoblin horns. He snuck away to the back of the shop to find a cooking pot he felt his mother wouldn’t miss, lit a fire, tossed the ingredients in the pot as Toshinori instructed, and waited.

 

Somehow the parts all sort of just… melted together? 

 

It baffled Izuku to see the ingredients seemingly dance around before combining into a green liquid that honestly didn’t look  _ too _ bad. He poured the contents into an empty milk bottle and eyed the green liquid with caution.

 

“Well… down the hatch I guess,” Izuku murmured before tossing back the liquid and swallowing it down as fast as possible.

 

It… didn’t taste horrible… in fact, it didn’t really taste like anything.

 

Izuku didn’t feel anything.

 

“Maybe I did it wrong? I could have swor-” Izuku was interrupted as he felt the liquid electricity surge through his veins and giving him the energy of a thousand suns.

 

“Ooooooooooh boy. Okay! Wowowowowowow that is gooood stuff yepyepyep definitely habit forming wow okay!”

 

Izuku took a deep breath to steady the jitters that shot through his body,  _ ‘Okay Izuku, get a grip, you’re awake now! Let’s get through the day!’ _

 

* * *

 

Inko was obviously concerned about her son, but the newfound energy in his eyes and the massive grin on his face made her keep it to herself. Whatever concern she had was outweighed by her happiness at seeing her boy in such good spirits. She had been worried that Izuku would take Katsuki leaving harder, but she was glad to see that Izuku seemed to be taking it in stride.

 

Although she wished he’d maybe tone down the volume a little, he seemed to be talking just a bit louder than usual today.

 

* * *

 

After a few more attempts, Izuku was eventually able to dilute the stamina elixirs so the concoction wasn’t quite as…  _ potent. _ It gave him enough energy to get through his days working at his parent’s shop, then into the night as he trained in the realm the sword created.

 

He had to hand it to Toshinori and the other ‘Links’ as they called themselves, they were all amazing teachers that were devoted to teaching Izuku how to be the best swordsman he could possibly be. Eventually the boy was able to block, parry, and even knock back attacks with his shield, whilst getting in close with his blade to devastating effect.

 

* * *

 

“What are you always mumbling about kid!?” Nana, one of the ‘Links’,  yelled with a furious thrust of her spear.

 

Izuku had just enough time to parry with his own spear before leaping backwards. “It helps me concentrate!”

 

Nana leapt forward, aiming a kick toward the boy’s knee to throw him off balance. “You’re too noisy! You won’t be any good in a stealth situation if you’re running your mouth!”

 

Izuku dropped the blade of his spear, using the shaft to redirect Nana’s kick before jumping to the side. “I know that! I don’t mean to do it, it’s subconscious… I think?”

 

Nana twirled her spear above her head, changing positions and catching Izuku off guard with her fluidity. He was so distracted that he didn’t have enough time to react as the pommel of the spear butted him in the gut and sent him down hard.

 

“There’s too much discord in your mind. Gimme your hand, sweetie.” Nana reached down and pulled Izuku back up on his feet. “You’re too focused on analyzing that it slows your reaction time. You need to learn to analyze on the fly, otherwise it won’t be a hit to the gut, it’ll be a blade, understand?”

 

Izuku nodded, rubbing his stomach. “Yeah Nana, I understand. I’ll work on it.”

 

The woman tousled the boy’s hair affectionately. “Now! Let’s switch to claymores, you need to work on your spins, it looks like you’re struggling with that heel turn still.”

 

* * *

 

After months of training, Toshinori and the other ‘Links’ were satisfied enough with Izuku’s progress, and they decided that they should move on to other skills.

 

Archery seemed to be an innate skill that all the past heroes possessed, and Izuku was no exception. There was something about wielding a bow that just felt  _ right _ . He found that his eyes were able to track moving targets easily, and he could reflexively shoot at an object the second it moved.

 

The only thing that bothered Izuku was the way the other heroes wasted too much time drawing arrows. He realized quickly that he lost precious seconds trying to fire a fresh arrow if he had to reach for his quiver every time. To adapt, he began holding spare arrows in the free fingers on his drawing hand, which allowed him to reset quicker than before. 

 

* * *

 

After many months of training, Izuku found that not only had he learned a considerable amount, but he had changed physically. Whereas before he was considered short and scrawny, his body was now covered in lithe muscle. He felt confident in himself, which caused him to stand up straighter, making everyone around him realize that Izuku was much taller than anyone had previously thought. 

 

Izuku was not necessarily able to  _ best _ his previous selves in the realm that the sword created, but at the very least he would end in far more draws than outright losses.

 

* * *

 

“You’ve done well, squirt.” Nana appraised the boy in front of her, clapping him on the back. “I’d say he’s ready, wouldn’t you, Toshi?”

 

Toshinori chuckled. “I’m inclined to agree, you’ve handled just about every task that any of us could possibly think to throw at you.”

 

Izuku smiled broadly at the pair, of all his past incarnations that he’d trained with, these two were by far his favorite. It’s not that the others were necessarily  _ bad _ , but Toshinori and Nana could carry on a conversation better than most of the other heroes, most of them were mute actually.

 

“Are you sure? I-” 

 

“Izuku.” Toshinori rest his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “I know you’re nervous, but you shouldn’t be. You are going to do  _ great _ .”

 

Izuku felt his eyes begin to brim with tears, and he surged forward to pull Nana and Toshinori into a hug. “What if I need your help in the future?”

 

Nana ran a comforting hand through the boy’s curls. “We’ll always be there for you. All you need to do is hold the sword close to you, and reach out to us in your dreams.”

 

“You may be the first hero to be this in tune with his past selves, my boy. The sword must have taken quite a liking to you,” Toshinori added with a pat on the boy’s back.

 

Izuku stepped away, wiping away his tears. “That makes me feel better actually. It’s nice to not feel alone anymore.”

 

Toshinori smiled at the boy. “You’re never alone.”

 

Izuku felt the telltale buzzing sensation that signalled his transference back into the material world. “I’ll see you two soon, then?”

 

“Always.” Nana replied with a maternal smile.

 

The last thing Izuku saw before he fully dematerialized were the shapes of his two favorite mentors as he fully dispersed into light and left the realm of the sword.

 

* * *

 

_ “You are ready.” _

 

“A-are you sure?”

 

_ “You still doubt yourself, after all the months of work you put into training yourself?” _

 

Izuku took a deep breath. “I just… I don’t want to let anyone down.”

 

_ “You won’t. All you need do is be yourself, I will be by your side the whole way.”  _

 

“Right… Okay. What do I need to do now?”

 

_ “Go home, gather your personal effects. You have a long journey ahead of you. Come to claim me tomorrow at first light, and we will make our way to the holder of Wisdom.” _

 

“Cool, whatever that means. Can I let my mom know?”

 

_ “That choice is yours.” _

 

“Okay. Right. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow?” Izuku wrung his hands, trying to dispel the creeping anxiety making its way up his throat.

 

_ “Yes. I will await your return.” _

 

Izuku nodded and once again made the familiar trek home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Toony for betaing this chapter!  
> I love the idea of stamina elixir basically being like a high potency energy drink bordering on just ingesting straight up speed honestly.
> 
> Next Time:  
> Izuku officially claims the sword and sets off on his journey, making a new friend along the way.


	3. The Ranch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku sets off on his journey.

“Hey, Mom? Are you still up?” 

 

Izuku walked in through the front door of his home with an overbearing weight in his chest. He’d run through every possible scenario in his head, and each an every one ended with him inadvertently hurting his mother. 

 

“Hey, sweetie! I’m in the kitchen!” 

 

Izuku slowly made his way toward his mother’s voice, taking the extra time to come up with the conversation starter he wanted to go with. The minute he stepped through the door and saw his mother busily working in the kitchen, he broke.

 

“Mom?” Izuku couldn’t fight the wobble in his voice as he approached his mother. The minute her eyes met his, he was wrapped in a hug.

 

“Is everything okay, Izuku? What’s wrong?”

 

“M-Mom… I-” He choked back a sob. “I have to leave town… and I may not be home for a while.”

 

Inko pulled away from the hug to look at her boy. “What are you talking about, Izuku? Does this have to do with Katsuki leaving?”

 

Izuku shook his head. “No, this isn’t about him. I mean, well… I guess it does a little.  Do you remember when he left last year?”

 

Inko nodded, so Izuku continued. “The day he left, he went through the forest to find the sword and claim it. And, well, he  _ found it, Mom. _ He found it and tried to draw it, but the sword wouldn’t budge for him.”

 

Inko tilted her head. “How do you know all this?”

 

Izuku blushed. “I… I followed him. I was worried he’d get lost, so I trailed behind him just out of sight. But,” he interrupted before his mother could scold him, “that’s not what’s important about this story. What’s important is that the sword rejected him, and when he left the sword… It called out to  _ me.” _

 

Inko gasped, started to understand where this conversation was leading.

 

“It told me that I was the hero reborn, Mom. It told me that I had a destiny and I needed to set out to help Hyrule. I’ve been going to the sword every night and training, and now it believes I’m ready. I’m going to draw it from its pedestal tomorrow and set off to the castle.”

 

Inko placed her hands over her mouth, eyes brimming with tears as she stared at her son. She wasn’t blind, Izuku knew that; plenty of people in the village had commented on his sudden growth spurt and hardened physique. What was killing him was that he had no idea what his mother was thinking, or if she even believed him.

 

“Mom?”

 

Inko jolted. “I-I’m sorry, sweetie. This is just a lot to take in.”

 

Izuku laughed softly. “Yeah, I’m with you there. I didn’t even believe it at first… but then I had these dreams of past lives, and I was drawn back to the sword, and I touched it and it teleported me to a weird blue place where I met my past selves which is how I trained and-”

 

“Izuku, I didn’t understand a word of that mumble storm.”

 

“O-oh, sorry…” Izuku scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

 

Inko began wringing her hands, occasionally wiping away a stray tear. Izuku stewed in the silence, unsure of what to do or say to alleviate the tension.

 

“If this is really true… then I support you. I-I trust you, Izuku. You’re nearly a fully grown man now. I knew you’d need to leave the nest eventually but I don’t think I was ready to have it happen so suddenly.” 

 

Izuku’s head shot up, feeling his own tears begin to form. “Mom…”

 

Inko looked at her son and pulled him into a tight embrace. “Just promise me you’ll come home. Please.”

 

Izuku returned the hug with equal intensity. “I promise.”

 

* * *

 

Being the son of general store owners had its perks. His father was a traveling merchant, and some of the items he brought home were truly useful. Izuku was outfitted with some worn, leather armor that used to be his father's. He wore this over a green tunic his mother had made for him. Izuku picked up a simple wooden bow and quiver and decided to take his old, rough-hewn wooden shield that was branded with the Midoriya family symbol. That way he could at least feel like his family is always with him, the red swirls signifying unity.

 

Strapping the quiver to his hips and slinging everything on to the makeshift harness he had, Izuku felt like he was nearly ready.

 

“Izuku?” Inko peeked her head into his room before freezing. “You look so much like your father. I wish he were home right now to see you off.”

 

Izuku wrapped his mother in another hug. “Me too, Mom.”

 

Inko returned the embrace as best she could around her son’s assorted collection of gear that was strapped to his body. “I packed you a bag. It has plenty of food and jars for your elixirs. I also packed a bedroll and some flint. Here is a dagger... and some extra kindling to be safe too!”

 

Izuku smiled softly, ensuring that the bag could hold everything. “Thanks, Mom.”

 

Inko reached up and gently pressed her hand to Izuku’s cheek. “I’m proud of you, sweetie.”

 

Izuku smiled, resting his hand on hers and leaning into her touch. It had been a long night of talking and crying. Eventually, they had managed to find and pack everything Izuku might need. 

 

As the sun continued to rise on the following day, Izuku collected the remaining items and stepped out the door. He turned back and placed a kiss on his mother’s forehead. “I love you, Mom.”

 

Inko returned the gesture, placing a kiss on her son’s cheek. “I love you too, Izuku. Be safe.”

 

Izuku nodded. “I promise.”

 

* * *

 

_ “You have returned. Are you ready?” _

 

“Yes. I’m ready.”

 

_ “Then it is time to embrace your destiny. Claim me.” _

 

Izuku shivered, setting his pack down and approaching the pedestal. He felt a strange sense of familiarity as he drew closer to the sword. He had approached the blade several hundred times by now, but the intent in this experience felt almost  _ nostalgic _ .

 

He wrapped his hands around the hilt, and rather than being transported into another realm, the sword remained solid in his grip. Izuku took a steadying breath…

 

...and pulled.

 

Izuku immediately felt a tugging somewhere in his body, almost as if the sword was reaching out to him as well. He felt an essence rush through his body, almost as if it was exploring him. There was a rush of electricity in his blood, the sense almost overwhelming him. 

 

The sensation began to drain his energy, leaving him exhausted and feeling the overwhelming urge to quit.

 

_ ‘This is a test. It must be.’ _

 

In spite of his fatigue, Izuku persisted, pulling at the sword even harder 

 

The blade shifted in its dais, releasing in short bursts. Izuku could feel the blade coming loose from its hold in the stone. After one final tug, the blade sprang free, and Izuku was able to observe the sword in its full splendor. 

 

Almost on reflex, Izuku drew the flat of the blade to his forehead, closing his eyes and feeling the connection. He then slowly rose the sword overhead and felt goosebumps race down his spine.

 

_ “We are reunited.”  _ The sword’s voice seemed clearer than ever now that it was in his hands.

 

Izuku took two experimental slashes with the blade before flourishing the blade and sheathing it in a scabbard on his back.

 

_ ‘When did that get there?’ _

 

Izuku looked over his shoulder, pulling the scabbard around so he could observe it. A beautiful blue and gold scabbard rested on his back. Ornamental designs littered its length, and Izuku was dumbstruck at its beauty.

 

_ “The scabbard manifested out of your need. Do not be concerned.” _

 

Izuku shifted the scabbard back. “Right. I guess we should set off now?”

 

_ “Yes. Let us depart.” _

 

Izuku grabbed his pack, carefully removing his scabbard and strapping it to the side so that it was still within reach.

 

Hefting the gear over his shoulders, he set out into the cool forest air, making his way back into town.

 

* * *

 

“Psst, hey! Hylian!”

 

Izuku’s head whipped around at the tiny voice. “Where are you?!” He drew the sword, letting the gleaming shine off of the blade in as intimidating a gesture as he could manage. “Show yourself!”

 

“Easy! Chill out, Long Ears!” A small creature made itself visible. “Name’s Minoru. Say, are you going on a journey?”

 

Izuku recognized the creature as a Deku Scrub. The irony of his childhood nickname confronting him was not lost on him. “Why do you ask?”

 

“I’m just itching to get out of these woods and see the world! I wanna meet a Great Fairy and ask a favor!”

 

Izuku relaxed a bit, letting the tip of his blade drop. “Alright, what do you want to ask the Great Fairy for?”

 

“I want her to make me a Hylian, like you!”

 

Izuku tilted his head. “Why is that?”

 

“Deku girls don’t have boobs! I’ve seen a couple Hylian girls before and I just love ‘em! I wanna be a Hylian so girls let me touch ‘em!”

 

Izuku grimaced in disgust. “You… want to be Hylian so you can objectify women easier.”

 

The creature nodded vigorously, the small bushels of leaves bouncing as it did so. “Yeah! So help a guy out!”

 

Izuku shuddered. “Um… I don’t think so. I’ve got to go now.”

 

“Wait!” The creature shot a Deku Nut just by Izuku’s shoulder. Izuku winced, expecting it to explode, but was surprised to see that the miscolored nut stuck to the tree beside him instead. 

 

“Look, I’m not interested, okay?” Izuku pointed his sword at the creature again.

 

“You gotta help me! I’ll stick you to a tree until you listen if you don’t!” 

 

The Deku Scrub fired off several more projectiles at Izuku, forcing the boy to dodge them as he raced toward the small creature. 

 

“Get out of here!” Izuku reared back his foot and punted the small creature as far as he could.

 

Izuku ignored the wails of the creature and sheathed his sword.

 

_ “What a disgusting creature.” _

 

“Agreed. Let’s get out of the woods before he comes back.”

 

Izuku decided to pick up the pace so he wouldn’t chance meeting that gremlin again.

 

* * *

 

Izuku was exhausted. The sword and his predecessors had prepared him for all kinds of combat situations, but nothing could prepare him for the challenge of traveling on his own. Izuku had been on the road for two days after claiming the sword for his own, and in that time nothing truly of note had occurred. 

 

He had hunted some small game for his meals, grateful to his mother for leaving him with the necessary tools and skills to prepare a meal on his own. 

 

Mostly, the overwhelming feeling Izuku had as he traversed the green countryside was a sense of loneliness. The sword may speak, but it wasn’t exactly a sparkling conversation partner. Izuku was certain that if it weren’t for the fact that he could interact with Toshinori and Nana in his dreams, he’d have started talking to himself.

 

Well, more than usual.

 

Another revelation that Izuku hadn’t initially considered was how heavy his pack was getting. He’d foraged for useful materials, all of which he knew he’d use, but the collective weight was beginning to wear on him.

 

_ ‘I need a horse. I should start asking around in the next town and see if there’s a ranch I can go to.’ _

 

Izuku opened his Rupee pouch, counting up the value and considering himself lucky to his predecessors for leaving him some wealth to rely on.

 

_ ‘This should be enough, right?’ _

 

* * *

 

Izuku looked up at the slightly dilapidated gate as he approached the small farm. ‘Uraraka Ranch’ was plastered in what must have at one time been red letters, but the sun had faded them until they were a soft pink.

 

“Hello?! Is anyone here?” Izuku called out, approaching what he assumed was the main house.

 

A large crash emanated from the small building and a young woman about Izuku’s age came bursting out. 

 

“Hi! I’m sorry, have you been waiting long? Welcome!” The girl dusted herself off and approached Izuku, her hand outstretched.

 

Izuku took her hand with a blush, trying his best to remain composed. 

 

_ ‘She’s beautiful.’ _ Izuku stared at the young woman’s brown eyes and auburn hair. He found the blush on her cheeks absolutely adorable, and without realizing it, he’d dropped his jaw.

 

“Um… My name is Ochaco Uraraka, welcome to Uraraka Ranch!” Ochaco gently pulled her hand away, giggling slightly at Izuku’s gaping face.

 

Izuku shook himself. “R-Right! It’s nice to meet you, Ms. Uraraka! My name is Izuku Midoriya!”

 

Ochaco giggled again. “No need for the formalities, Ms. Uraraka is my Momma. Just call me Ochaco.”

 

Izuku felt his face get hot again. “Okay! Then just call me Izuku!”

 

“Alright then, Izuku. What can I help you with today?”

 

Izuku steadied his nerves.  _ ‘She’s just being nice, Izuku. Get a grip and stop being creepy.’ _

 

“I’m heading on a long trip and I was hoping I could get a horse. Do you happen to have any for sale?”

 

Ochaco winced. “Um, well, we  _ do,  _ but she’s the only one we have right now. My folks are out getting supplies for the ranch, and they took our only other two.” She shrugged. “I’m sorry, I can’t sell you our last one. We need her.”

 

Izuku deflated. “R-Right. Of course. I… I have a lot of money? I could pay a lot for her if that would help?”

 

Ochaco smiled, but Izuku could tell it was strained. “I’m sorry, but unless you can pay 10,000, we can’t part with her. Now if you need some milk or cheese? I can guarantee our cows make the best in Hyrule.”

 

Izuku heaved a sigh. “I understand.”

 

Ochaco looked at him sympathetically. “You look like you’ve been on the road for a little bit. You wanna stay for dinner?”

 

Izuku shot up in surprise. “I-I couldn’t impose, I can buy some cheese for the road, it’s okay I’ll be fine.”

 

“Relax Izuku, my folks have been out for a while now and I’m starving for some conversation with someone who isn’t a cow or cucco. Let me whip us up something. You can sleep out in the barn too if you need some rest.” Her voice took on a warning tone. “If you try any funny business though, I’ll have you know my Daddy taught me how to fight.”

 

“I believe you.” Izuku chuckled, thinking for a moment. He  _ could _ use a hot meal, and maybe a decent night’s sleep under a roof would do him some good. “Alright, thanks Ochaco.”

 

* * *

 

The hearty stew Ochaco had prepared was delicious. She’d used her mother’s recipe, so she knew it’d turn out well. 

 

She wasn’t sure why she’d invited the stranger to have dinner with her, maybe it had something to do with his eyes? They were filled with kindness and sincerity. Everything about him was an open book, which made her feel like she could trust him. 

 

“Mmm, this is really good!” Izuku was wolfing down the stew as if his life depended on it.

 

Ochaco suppressed a giggle. “I’m glad you like it! It calls for a lot of milk, so it’s easy to make.”

 

Izuku hummed in response as he took another spoonful into his mouth.

 

Ochaco stared at the boy’s dirty clothes and mussed up hair. “So, what are you traveling for, Izuku?” 

 

Izuku finished his mouthful with a large gulp. “Well, uh, I guess if I told you, you may not believe me.” He sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. 

 

“Try me.” Ochaco was intrigued now.

 

Izuku wiped his mouth with his napkin and took a swig of water to clear his throat. “S-So, you see… Um… Maybe it’s better if I show you.” He stood and walked over to his pack, removing the sword that was wrapped in cloth on the side. 

 

Ochaco tensed, readying herself to leap to the side in case her initial impression of Izuku turned out to be false. 

 

Izuku unwrapped the blade and unsheathed it from its ornate scabbard. Instead of swinging it around, he gently placed it on the table.

 

Ochaco, in spite of her surprise and confusion, visibly relaxed. “...What’s with the sword?”

 

Izuku shifted uncomfortably. “Well… um… Do you know the legend of the hero that’s meant to seal the darkness?”

 

Ochaco nodded, ‘ _ What does that have to do with anythi-’ _

 

Wait, the hero sealed the darkness with a sword. 

 

And that sword looked a lot like the one that was described in the legends.

 

_ ‘Wait, is it  _ **_glowing?!_ ** ’

 

_ ‘Oh.’  _ Realization hit Ochaco like a brick.

 

“...You’re him.” Ochaco shot up from her seat and bowed to Izuku. “I’m so sorry, please forgive me!”

 

Izuku flailed his arms, his face going beet red. “N-No, please, you don’t have to do that!”

 

Ochaco glanced up at the boy, unable to reconcile the image of the hero she had in her head with the nervous boy in front of her. 

 

Sure, Izuku was taller than her, and he seemed pretty strong. His pants certainly seemed tight around his thig-

 

‘ _ Nope!’ _ Ochaco shook herself from whatever thought  _ that _ was.

 

“So you’re...  _ the  _ Hero.”

 

Izuku nodded.

 

“ **_THE_ ** Hero. The one from legend. That’s you.”

 

Izuku nodded again, his blush somehow increasing in intensity.

 

Ochaco ran her hands through her hair. “Okay, right. I’m just having dinner with the Hero of Legend. And somehow he’s my age.”

 

Izuku winced. “Well, technically you’re only partly right].”

 

Ochaco pursed her lips. “What do you mean?”

 

“You see, um… How do I put this… The title of ‘Hero’ is kind of like a mantle I guess. When the world needs the Hero of Legend, the Hero’s soul is reborn into a new body. I’m the current incarnation of that soul.” Izuku kept his eyes cast down, unable to meet Ochaco’s.

 

The girl slumped down in her seat. “Okay? That makes sense I guess.”

 

“It’s a lot to take in for me too, I still haven’t really come to grips with it.”

 

An idea suddenly started brewing in Ochaco’s mind. “Wait, you said earlier today that you had a lot of Rupees, right?”

 

“Y-Yeah, why?”

 

“How’d you get them?”

 

Izuku shuffled through his pack and retrieved his bag of Rupees, handing them to her. “They were left to me by my predecessors. Apparently, my previous incarnations had a knack for treasure hunting.”

 

Ochaco’s idea began growing and growing as she counted up the considerable amount of wealth in the pouch. “So you’re saying that you’re gonna probably find treasure on your journey too?”

 

Izuku shrugged. “Yeah, I suppose so.”

 

Ochaco felt the idea roar into an inferno. She knew what she needed to do.

 

“ _ Take me. _ ”

 

Izuku’s blush returned full force. “W-What!?”

 

Ochaco’s face grew hot when she realized the implications of her demand. “I-I mean take me with you! On your quest!”

 

Izuku’s blush began to fade. “Huh?”

 

“Look, you said the hero collects a lot of treasure, and I’m gonna be honest with you; the ranch isn’t doing so hot. My folks need the money, and if I go with you, I have a decent chance of striking it rich. I’ll bring my horse, and as long as you pay for our neighbor to take care of the cows and cuccos until my folks get home in a few days, I’ll come along and help you.”

 

Izuku shook his head. “Didn't you say your parents needed that horse? And what about you?”

 

“See that’s the thing; If you can pay in advance for some part-time farm hand work, my folks’ll be okay, and I can bring home enough treasure to set them up for an easy life!”

 

“It’s going to be dangerous out there.” Izuku looked conflicted.

 

“I told you I can take care of myself. I’ve made up my mind! Just say yes!” Ochaco shot out of her seat, fixing Izuku with a determined stare.

 

The boy fiddled with the hem of his tunic, muttering softly under his breath before finally shutting his eyes tightly and gritting his teeth. “...Alright.”

 

Ochaco pumped her fist in the air. “Yes! I promise you won’t regret this! We can sort everything out tomorrow and then we can set out!”

 

Izuku sighed. “Okay, now I think I’ll take you up on that offer to crash in the barn.”

 

Ochaco smiled. “Yeah of course! See you in the morning, partner!”

 

Izuku smiled softly. “Yeah, good night.”

 

* * *

 

Izuku had to hand it to Ochaco, the girl was convincing. It hadn’t taken much talking to convince the neighboring Tsunotori family to take care of the farm until Ochaco’s parents returned at the end of the week. 

 

Ochaco wrote a long letter and folded it up, placing it under the small fortune’s worth of Rupees Izuku gave to her.

 

Ochaco had most of what she needed at her home and only needed to pick up a simple sword and shield from a general store before she was ready to go.

 

The two walked back to the ranch, and Izuku was introduced to their horse.

 

“This is Epona.”

 

Izuku felt a rush of nostalgia at the name as he stroked the beautiful mare’s neck. She was a chestnut draft horse with a gorgeous silver mane. The minute he began patting her, he felt a bond with the animal. 

 

“She’s beautiful.”

 

Ochaco beamed. “She sure is, now let’s get her saddled up and we can go.”

 

Izuku helped the girl load the horse with their excess gear, and after a short amount of time, the three left the ranch behind.

 

“Where to next, Izuku?”

 

Izuku smiled. “Hyrule Castle. I need to make sure the Princess knows that the Hero and the sword are here to help.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yay! Ochaco is officially joining Izuku's quest! Some of you may have seen this coming. Yes, Ochaco is more or less Malon from OOT. I love Ochaco a lot, so I was stoked to include her in this story as one of the protagonists. 
> 
> Thanks again to Toony for beta-ing this chapter!
> 
> Next Time: Our duo makes their way to Castle Town to meet with the Royal Family of Hyrule and Izuku officially makes himself known.


	4. Hyrule Castle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku and Ochaco meet the Royal Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Link to the Discord is in the body of text

“So, Izuku,” Ochaco started as the duo made it past the outer limits of her village, “you’re from Musutafu Village, right?”

 

“Yeah, just south of the Great Hyrule Forest.” Izuku smiled at the thought of home.

 

“What was it like? I’ve never really been anywhere besides the ranch and Castle Town.”

 

Izuku put a thumb to his lower lip in thought. “Quiet, mostly. Some of the other kids and I would learn how to do basic survival things from some of the soldiers that came from our village.” He sighed to himself. “I was alright, Kacchan was always the best at everything.”

 

Ochaco frowned. “Who’s ‘Kacchan?’”

 

“O-Oh, he and I grew up together. We did just about everything together. He used to tell me all the time that he was gonna be the next Hero of Legend.” Izuku glanced back at the sword on his pack. “I’m still not certain he wouldn’t make a better hero than me.”

 

The sword seemed to glow as if angry, and Izuku sighed. “Yeah, I know. Sorry.”

 

Ochaco tilted her head. “Huh?”

 

Izuku floundered. “Um, would you believe me if I told you the sword can talk to me?”

 

“Woah! That’s incredible! What did it say?” Ochaco had stars in her eyes as she looked between Izuku and the sword.

 

Izuku gently itched his face. “Uh, well, it told me that I shouldn’t doubt myself.”

 

The sword flared again, causing Izuku’s eyes to widen. “Oh! I’m sorry, I had no idea, um… _She_ told me I shouldn’t doubt myself.”

 

“You shouldn’t upset her, Izuku, you need her.” Ochaco giggled. “Plus, she’s right! You already seem like you’re going to make a really great hero!”

 

Izuku blushed, smiling softly. “Thanks, Ochaco.”

 

* * *

 

Hyrule Castle loomed high above the Castle Town just below. The structure was as imposing as it was regal. Izuku’s jaw dropped when he saw the grandeur of it all in front of him.

 

“It’s incredible,” he whispered to himself.

 

Ochaco grinned at him. “Yeah, I’ve seen it a few times and I _still_ don’t think I’ll ever get used to it.”

 

Izuku nodded absentmindedly, still unable to tear his eyes away from the castle. The tallest structure in his village was only two stories high; he was having trouble imagining what anyone would even _do_ with all that space.

 

He felt Ochaco tap his shoulder. “Should we make our way up to the castle? I also need to get Epona some food and water, we’ve been on the road a few days now. She needs some rest.”

 

Izuku shook his head to snap himself out of his trance. “Right, yeah, let’s do that.”

 

As the pair walked through Castle Town, Izuku tried his best to absorb all of the new information all around him. There was so much to _see_ here! Rows and rows of homes and shops littered the streets as he made his way with Ochaco toward the center of town, where they found a large fountain standing in the center of a circular courtyard. Directly to the North stood the gates to Hyrule Castle.

 

Izuku and Ochaco followed the path up to the gates as Izuku marveled at the size of them. _‘Do they have giant Hylians here or something!?’_

 

“Halt!”

 

Izuku froze, turning to face a pair of guards that stood at attention in front of the enormous doors.

 

“State your business travelers.”

 

Izuku cleared his throat, gently setting his pack down and trying his best to sound official. “I have come to answer the Crown’s summons. I bring with me the Sword the Seals the Darkness.”

 

The two guards’ eyes shot open as the gleam of the sword hit their eyes, the men leaned in close, furiously whispering to each other. Izuku was only able to catch one word: ‘Shouta.’

 

“OPEN THE GATES!”  The guard on the left shouted up to the top of the gate tower, and a slow rumbling ensued. Both gates slowly began to open almost autonomously in an impressive display of engineering.

 

“Ma’am you’ll have to stay here while we take the her-” the guard began before Izuku cut him off.

 

“No. Where I go, she goes.” Izuku clenched his fists. “She’s been with me this far, and she’s going to be going with me on the rest of this journey.”

 

The two guards exchanged looks “But, sir, she’s a civilian. We can’t-”

 

Izuku stared hard at the men.

 

“Fine,” the senior guard huffed, “you two follow me; your horse will be attended to at our stable.” The guard on their right took Epona’s reigns, leading her off. Izuku and Ochaco followed the remaining guard up the winding path toward the castle, with Izuku making a mental note to ask someone about the gates later.

 

* * *

 

The pair had been led to a wing just off of the guards quarters and sequestered into a small room. After a few minutes of waiting for their guard to return, a man with long black hair and dark eyes came into the room. He was dressed simply in a modified Royal Guard’s armor, electing to forego the heavy plate armor in favor of simple black leather. “So,” The scruffy looking man began as soon as Izuku and Ochaco were seated.

 

“My name is Shouta Aizawa, I am the captain of the Princess’ private guard. I have been informed that you claim to wield the sword. Show me.”

 

Izuku flinched at the man’s gruff voice but followed his instructions. He reached for his pack and removed the blade, unsheathed it, and set it down on the table.

 

The captain sat down and inspected the sword carefully, glancing between it and Izuku with an unreadable expression.

 

“Here.” Shouta handed the sword to Izuku gently, observing quietly as Izuku took hold of the pommel. As if on cue, the blade flashed blue for a half second the minute Izuku’s hand took hold of the blade.

 

Shouta hummed to himself. “Your name?”

 

“Izuku Midoriya, sir.”

 

“And you?”

 

Ochaco squeaked, surprised to have attention turned on her. “O-Ochaco Uraraka, sir!”

 

Shouta leaned back in his chair and hummed thoughtfully. “I will bring you both before the Princess. She’ll know more about this than I do.” He rose slowly. “You will follow me. Be sure to be respectful, you’re about to be in the presence of royalty.”

 

Izuku and Ochaco both gulped.

 

* * *

 

The duo followed Shouta through ornate halls ornamented in shades of a vibrant blue. Izuku’s spine felt like it would snap if he tried to stand any straighter.

 

Suddenly Izuku felt a sweaty hand clasp his own tightly. He looked down in surprise to see Ochaco holding on, refusing to make eye contact with him as she worried her lower lip.

 

_‘She’s almost more nervous than I am.’_

 

Izuku squeezed his new friend’s hand reassuringly, offering a small smile before turning forward once again.

 

Shouta led the pair outdoors and up toward a large series of corridors. He turned back around, glancing briefly at the clasped hands with raised eyebrows. Izuku and Ochaco blushed and quickly released the hold, each feeling a pang of loneliness at the released contact.

 

“Make sure to bow and only speak when spoken to. Understand?”

 

The two youths nodded.

 

“Good, follow me.”

 

Shouta turned back around and led them through the largest corridor until they stopped in a large throne room. Atop the central throne sat an older man, and directly to his left sat a young woman.

 

While the man was rather distinguished and handsome looking, sporting a gray beard streaked with black, the girl was _beautiful._ She had long, flowing black hair and onyx eyes that sparkled in the natural lighting that poured into the room.

 

Izuku almost forgot himself, and in an effort to tear his eyes away from the princess, he bowed. Ochaco seemed to be having a similar dilemma, but quickly noticed Izuku and followed his example.

 

“Please rise,” the voice of the man called out.  “I am King Asahi, welcome.”

 

Izuku and Ochaco both rose slowly and Izuku hazarded a glance at the king.

 

The king eyed them appraisingly. “You claim to possess the Blade of Evil’s Bane.”

 

Izuku nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

 

The king stroked his beard thoughtfully. “My daughter, Princess Zelda, will be the one to confirm your claim.”

 

Izuku nodded again. “Of course, Your Majesty.”

 

The girl rose, an elegant red dress accented with royal blue flowed around her as she strode over to Izuku.

 

He was entranced, unable to take his eyes off of hers. He felt a profound connection to the young woman, despite this being their first time meeting. The woman’s eyes met his, and she gave a soft smile in greeting.

 

“It is a pleasure to meet you. Would you tell me your names?”

 

“Izuku Midoriya, Your Majesty,” Izuku said with another bow.

 

Ochaco curtsied. “Ochaco Uraraka, My Lady.”

 

“It is a pleasure to meet you both. If I may, could I inspect the sword?”

 

Izuku unbuckled his harness, holding the scabbard hilt up and taking a knee, presenting the hilt to her.

 

The princess grasped the hilt, and in one, slow motion withdrew the sword. The blade sang as it was freed from its scabbard, a metalling hum ringing through the air. A soft thrumming of power could be felt emanating from the blade as it was held by the descendant of the Goddess Hylia.

 

Unbeknownst to everyone but Izuku and the princess, a single word could be heard.

 

_“Princess.”_

 

The young woman gasped and gently lowered the point of the blade. She made brief eye contact with Izuku, who was staring in awe at her, before addressing the king.

 

“This is indeed the Sword that Seals the Darkness. Izuku Midoriya is the Hero reborn.” She turned to give Izuku a small smile. “Our champion has arrived.”

 

* * *

 

Shortly after the princess’ announcement, Izuku and Ochaco were whisked away to a private room to rest and recover. Their clothes were taken to be washed, and they were given formal wear for a private dinner.

 

After some initial discomfort over the fact that the room had no dividing curtain between the beds, Izuku and Ochaco took turns covering their eyes as they each bathed and got dressed.

 

And if Ochaco had peeked to get a view of Izuku’s toned body, well, that was no one’s business but her own.

 

Soon Izuku was dressed in a crimson and navy tunic trimmed in gold. He was given thigh-high white boots and elbow length matching white gloves, and atop his head sat a navy blue beret. Unable to find a suitable place to strap his sword to his back, he simply holstered it with a baldric to his waist.

 

Ochaco was given a simple pink dress layered over a blue-trimmed white gown that highlighted the blush on her cheeks. Sitting in a fine jewelry box next to her bed was a set of golden bangles and a large, gold necklace.

 

She looked like she was about to faint.

 

“This necklace is more expensive than my house!”

 

Izuku smiled sympathetically with a red dusting his cheeks. “Y-You look really nice.”

 

This snapped Ochaco out of her stupor but caused her to blush furiously and mumble. “You clean up pretty well yourself.”

 

Izuku shifted in the foreign outfit. “Thanks, this is definitely outside my comfort zone.”

 

Ochaco giggled. “Glad I’m not the only one.”

 

* * *

 

The long banquet table was a bit overwhelming for Izuku and Ochako as they were led to their seats near the king and princess. The two royals in the room greeted the duo, with Izuku and Ochaco each bowing in respect. The king, of course, sat at the head of the table. The princess sat to his right, and Izuku was directed to sit next to her. Ochaco was seated next to him and immediately started sweating over the number of dining utensils in front of her.

 

Izuku was in a similar dilemma as a bowl of soup was laid in front of him. _‘Which do I take? I feel like I should know this, but who needs this many spoons?’_

 

Izuku felt hair brush his left shoulder and a soft voice whisper in his ear, causing him to shiver. “Start at the outside and work your way in.”

 

Izuku blushed and glanced to the princess, who was smiling softly as she delicately ate a spoonful of the soup.

 

Izuku glanced down at the utensils, and sure enough, there was a spoon on the outer edge of the silverware. He gently nudged Ochaco next to him and gestured to the spoon before picking his up and carefully starting his meal. Ochaco sent a grateful look his way and followed his lead.

 

* * *

 

 _‘Well that has to be the longest and most decadent dinner I’ve ever had.’_ Izuku shifted in his now slightly too tight belt as the servers came to collect the last of the plates. The meal had been mostly silent, with the king and princess only speaking a handful of times to ask Izuku and Ochaco about where they came from. Izuku gave a full account of his time with the sword, which seemed to impress the two royals. Ochaco, who had heard the story on the road, merely smiled affectionately at her companion.

 

“Simply incredible, young man. You have overcome much to be here. I have the utmost faith that you will succeed in all your endeavors.” The king shot a strange look at his daughter before refocusing his attention to the travelers. “I truly believe you are capable, but tell me; have you ever been in actual combat?”

 

Izuku flinched. “N-No, sir. I haven’t seen any actual combat outside of my sparring inside the Realm of the Sword.” He hazarded a look at the king and found the man’s face unreadable. “Um, that is to say, that I may not have faced anyone in combat, but I am confident in my abilities. I trained very hard to be considered worthy by the sword.”

 

The king’s eyebrows knit together. He leaned back in his chair, something seemingly weighing heavily on his mind.

 

“My daughter has a proposition for you.”

 

The princess’ eyes sparkled with joy. “Y-Yes! I- That is to say, my personal emissary will be accompanying you on your quest. She is well trained in the ways of the Sheikah Tribe, and will no doubt be useful on your journey. I ask that she accompany you as a representative in my stead.”

 

Izuku shook his head. “I’m sorry? I don’t-”

 

The princess cut him off, clearly bouncing with excitement. “I will ensure that you have the best armor and tools before you set off on your journey! My emissary will accompany you to our Sheikah mechanic in the morning, and she will act as extra protection for both you and Ochaco.” She stood up suddenly. “In fact, I will brief her now! I’m afraid I won’t be able to see you off tomorrow, so I wish you the best of luck.” She bowed toward Izuku and Ochaco before giving a grateful look to her father and rushing out of the dining hall.

 

The king sighed, oblivious to the perplexed looks on Izuku and Ochaco’s faces. “I’m afraid I must turn in as well. I will be sure to see you off tomorrow. I must check in with the tailor and ensure that your new traveling garments will be ready for you in the morning. Good Night.”

 

The king bowed to Izuku and Ochaco and quietly strode out of the room.

 

Izuku stared at Ochaco in confusion. “What… just happened?”

 

Ochaco shrugged. “No idea, ooh! Mochi! You gonna eat that?”

 

* * *

 

Izuku and Ochaco turned in for the night, going through a similar routine of not peeking, or minorly glancing in Ochaco’s case, as the other person changed and got into their respective beds.

 

Ochaco sighed happily. “This is so comfy, it beats camping outdoors, huh?”

 

Izuku hummed in agreement.

 

“Hey, Izuku?”

 

The boy opened his eyes and turned to face Ochaco. “What’s up?”

 

Ochaco had her covers up to her chin. “Are… Are you sure I’m not going to be a hassle for you? The guards didn’t think I should be coming along and I don’t want to get in your way...”

 

Izuku sat upright. “Ochaco, of course not. You’ve already helped me so much. I know you can take care of yourself, and if you ever feel like you want to practice fighting just let me know. Heck, I’m sure our extra bodyguard will be more than willing to help too.”

 

Ochaco smiled. “Thanks, Izuku.” She rolled back and sighed again dreamily. “That princess sure is beautiful, huh?”

 

Izuku blushed at the memory. “Y-Yeah, she is.”

 

Ochaco was grateful to the darkened room for hiding her blush. “Well, Good Night.”

 

“Yeah, Good Night.”

 

* * *

 

The next morning, Izuku and Ochaco were awoken to several chambermaids bringing them their new garments. Izuku was given a beautiful new green tunic with white accents that were meant to identify him as the Hero. He was also given a beautiful scarf in the royal blue, a symbol of his connection with the family.

 

He was pleasantly surprised to find that the tunic fit him perfectly. _‘Those tailors work fast.’_ And even more surprised when the chambermaids told him the origin of the scarf. ‘ _The princess made this… for me?’_

 

Ochaco was decked out in a new violet travelers tunic trimmed in gray and silver. She was given some sturdier leather armor in addition to some thicker traveling pants.

 

The pair finished dressing and made their way downstairs, following closely behind the two guards. Eventually, they made their way outside to see the king standing next to a shorter woman.

 

“Ah! Izuku, Ochaco, come and meet the third member of your party.”

 

The duo walked forward and appraised the young woman in front of them. She was dressed head to toe in a dark gray and blue jumpsuit trimmed with brown leather and red accents. Her face was covered in a scarf and matching balaclava. Her hair was tied in a spiky ponytail that almost resembled a whirlpool of molten onyx, with a waterfall of it covering her right eye. The only facial feature they could see was the uncovered eye.

 

The look she gave them was vaguely familiar to Izuku, but he had never seen such a vibrant ruby red eye color before that day.

 

“Greetings,” the woman began, “my name is Momo. It is a pleasure to meet you both.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed! If you haven't been reading Young Midoriya, then you won't know that there's a discord server for my two fics! I just like the sense of community that discord can create, so please don't be shy and come join if you feel so inclined!
> 
> So yeah! We have our adventurers! I'll leave the speculating to you guys ;)
> 
> Next Time: Our heroes get outfitted for their long journey and receive their first destination.


	5. The Inventor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our trio gets a new toy and sets off on their journey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta readers for going over this chapter!

Momo was internally screaming.

 

Was she being too obvious? The enchantment that allowed her to adopt this form was incredibly convincing, but it tended to work better on people who had never seen ‘Princess Zelda’ before. She wasn’t fully confident that Izuku and Ochaco wouldn’t notice. There had already been at least seventeen mirror checks to ensure that enough of her face was covered and that her eyes were still the customary Sheikah red.

 

_ ‘I just don’t want them to treat me differently.’ _

 

Momo was used to being handled with kid gloves; it had been that way her entire life. She was grateful that her father had allowed her to pursue her self defense classes, and even more grateful to Shouta for training her as mercilessly as he trained any other recruit. She had spent most of her childhood learning self-defense and how to handle a variety of weapons Her father was insistent that she be able to protect herself as a last resort. She knew the man had trained extensively with the Sheikah himself and she could rely on his training to hold her own in just about any situation.

 

Of course, getting her father to agree to let her go had been an uphill battle.

 

* * *

 

_ “You understand how insane this sounds, don’t you?” The King rubbed his forehead in agitation as he stared exhaustedly at his daughter. “He seems capable enough, but you’re asking me to send my only daughter off into the world with no royal guard, no other escort, just you alone in the wilderness with two strangers.” _

 

_ Momo glared at him with a hip cocked. _

 

_ “Yes I  _ **_know_ ** _ he’s the Hero. But he’s still a young man, and young men have… erm… impulses.” _

 

_ She groaned. “Father, you saw him. He could hardly maintain eye contact with me without losing his head. I sincerely doubt he’s some secret lecher.” _

 

_ “That won’t help you against the world. You’re the Princess of Hyrule for goddesses’ sake, you can’t just waltz around Hyrule, someone  _ **_will_ ** _ notice you.” _

 

_ Momo opened a book, slamming it down hard on her desk. “That’s why I have this.” She gestured to an entry in the large tome. “Here. In the past, the Princess of Hyrule has disguised herself as a Sheikah man to aid the Hero in his time of need.” Momo read through the enchantment, muttering it under her breath to practice before whispering the same enchantment with more feeling, her eyes screwed tight. With a faint glow, her body shifted.  _

 

_ Well, shifted a bit before snapping back to its normal shape. Momo’s eyes opened and her face fell in disappointment as she glanced down on her decidedly still-present bust. “It… could likely still use some work.”  _

 

_ The King stared in awe at his daughter. “Momo, your eyes.” _

 

_ Momo’s face whipped to the mirror where she noticed a rather distinct change; her normally onyx black eyes were bright red. In addition, her alabaster skin had taken on a slight tan. It wasn’t much, but perhaps with the right head covering… _

 

_ She rummaged through her dresser until she found her Sheikah stealth armor. The scarf that normally provided some protection for her hair in the rain was pulled out as Momo frantically rushed through her room to find something of a similar material and color. _

 

_ After several minutes of looking and shushing her concerned father, she found more fabric and proceeded to wrap part of the material around the top of her head, and used the rest to cover her mouth. Altogether, it concealed her face fully, leaving only her eyes visible.  _

 

_ “See? No one will know if I remain covered.” _

 

_ “Why are you so dead set on leaving!?” The King slumped down into a chair, his exhaustion visible.  _

 

_ “Because one day I will inherit this kingdom, and I have seen very little of it outside of official visits as the princess. As a commoner in disguise, I could see what it’s really like. I can also keep tabs on the Hero and ensure that he is safe and successful.” _

 

_ The King kneaded at the bridge of his nose. He rose and opened the door to Momo’s room, waving Shouta inside. He glanced at the captain of his guard, looking for answers. “Do you feel she is capable enough to hold her own out in the world?” _

 

_ If Shouta was surprised to see Momo visibly changed and wearing a makeshift balaclava, he didn’t show it. “She has worked very hard to hone her skills. I feel that she is as capable as any of my trainees.” _

 

_ Momo swelled under the praise. _

 

_ The King mulled this over for a moment. “What would they even call you? You can’t go by Princess Zelda. I know you’ve never enjoyed the name, but it’s still your title.” _

 

_ “Why not Momo?” The girl suggested. “Very few outside our private circle are familiar with the name, and it is one I am accustomed to.” She sagged a bit.  _

 

_ Her father’s face softened. “I know how much that name means to you. Are you sure?” _

 

_ Momo looked up, her now red eyes staring intently at her father. “I’m sure.” _

 

* * *

 

She stole a glance at Izuku and Ochaco. They didn’t  _ seem _ to notice anything. Maybe this could work? 

 

The alleyway that led to Mei’s workshop was coming up. She coughed, grateful that the enchantment altered her voice a bit to make it deeper and huskier. “Our destination is just up ahead. The princess wishes to outfit you with the finest gear, and Mei is our best inventor and technician.”

 

Izuku nodded, refusing to look her way.  _ ‘What could be the problem? He turned so red when he saw me like this.’ _

 

She glanced at Ochaco, who seemed to be just as red. Leaning in, she whispered in Ochaco’s ear. “Is everything alright with you two?”

 

Ochaco let out a small yelp, her face flaring even brighter. She did her best to keep her voice down and whispered back to Momo. “I-It’s just your, uh, outfit. It’s very, um…” She began trailing off into a stream of quiet muttering that Momo couldn’t understand.

 

Momo caught a glimpse of her reflection in one of the shop windows. The Sheikah armor she wore was the standard, wasn’t it? Dark navy and gray jumpsuit with leather armor accents. It made her quiet and provided just enough protection thanks to the enchantments that had been put on it by the Great Fairy near Kakariko Village. Sure it was a little form fitting but…

 

Wait…

 

It was  _ definitely _ form fitting.

 

Momo was suddenly very grateful to her balaclava, she did not want the others to see how flustered she was.

 

A very small part of Momo was a bit flattered that she could have this effect on them, but she was grateful as well that Izuku and Ochaco had the good sense not to ogle her.

 

“Ahem, here we are.” Momo gestured to a shop at the end of the road in Castle Town. The building itself was enormous, having been built up over the years to include more and more space for Mei’s wild inventions. A large telescope sat on top, with various extra rooms jutting out in angles that somehow allowed the building to not topple over.

 

Momo opened the door, leading Izuku and Ochaco inside. “Mei! It’s Momo, are you home right now?”

 

A large crash emanated from the upper floors, and soon a young Sheikah woman came bursting downstairs, her hair up in a towel and pink dye staining her clothes.

 

“I am here!” Her red eyes zoned in on Momo, glancing up and down before winking with a knowing smirk. “Hey,  _ Momo! _ It’s been a while! The princess didn’t tell me  _ you’d _ be coming.”

 

Momo shifted uncomfortably.  _ ‘Make it a little more obvious why don’t you?’ _

 

“Um, yes, Mei. I’d like to introduce you to the reborn Hero, this is Izuku.” Izuku bowed. “And this,” she gestured to the brunette, “is Ochaco, she is traveling with Izuku on his journey.” 

 

Mei nodded, her manic smile never wavering. “Nice to meet you! Let’s skip straight to the good stuff, yeah?” She grabbed Izuku by the hand and yanked him into her workshop. “Come along Mr. Hero! Do  _ I  _ have some gadgets for  _ you _ !” 

 

Izuku looked over his shoulder, eyes pleading for help, causing both Momo and Ochaco to giggle. 

 

The pair followed the rather distressed looking Izuku into the workshop, where Mei was flitting about, regaling Izuku with details about her various inventions. 

 

“This baby here is my pride and joy!” Mei gestured to a strange object that was roughly the size of a notebook. The item was mostly black with strange golden accents and an obsidian rectangle in the center. “I found this a couple years ago along with some of my clan’s older manuscripts detailing its functions.” She lifted the object and tapped the obsidian portion, causing it to start glowing with an eerie blue light. “The actual name is too hard to translate, so I’ve just been calling this baby the ‘Sheikah Slate.’”

 

The trio stared in awe at the object in Mei’s hands. 

 

Izuku looked at the inventor, curiosity blooming in his eyes. “How does it work? What does it do?” Suddenly a leather-bound notebook was in his hands, eyes sparkling with interest.

 

Mei puffed up, clearly pleased to have found someone who was this obviously interested in her work. “Well, most of the functions remain a mystery to me, but for right now the slate is capable of constructing a virtual map of areas you’ve visited.” She pressed a glowing box on the Slate, and a strange disc materialized in front of them. “Based on the schematics I made these!” She picked up the disc. “If you leave one of these babies buried in the ground, it’ll create a landmark. You can use the landmarks in conjunction with the Slate to instantly transport yourself anywhere you have been before.”

 

Izuku’s jaw had dropped. “That’s  _ incredible! _ How did you manage that!?” 

 

“It’s all in the design schematics! And that’s not even all of it!” Mei swiped through images on the Slate and pressed another glowing square. This caused a variety of pink flowers to materialize as well. “Oops! Wrong one.” Mei quickly bent over, grasping at the flowers and causing her towel to slip.

 

Momo gasped. “M-Mei! Your hair! What happened!”

 

Mei stood there, quickly running her fingers through her vibrant, pink hair. “Oh! Well, Hateno Village has clothing dye, which I’ve always found fascinating. I decided to see if I could get it to work on other things, like hair!” She gestured to her own mop of hair. “It looks like it worked! I’m not sure how long it lasts for, but for now, it’s bye bye white hair, hello pink!” 

 

She started laughing again, and Momo shook her head at her friend’s antics. She wasn’t sure why she was surprised. Mei had been the court’s go-to inventor for years; she had become very well accustomed to the shorter Sheikah woman’s oddities.

 

“A-Anyway, you were demonstrating...?”

 

Mei nodded quickly. “Yes of course! Hero boy! Your shield!”

 

Izuku fumbled around with the straps on his pack and produced his wooden shield. Mei snatched the shield up, aimed the Slate at it, tapped something on the screen, and the shield vanished in a burst of blue light.

 

“Hey!” Izuku shouted indignantly.

 

Mei tossed him the Slate. “Check the screen!”

 

Izuku looked down, with Momo and Ochaco looking over his shoulders. On the screen was a small square and an image of Izuku’s shield. “W-What do I do?” Izuku asked.

 

Mei’s grin grew. “Tap the shield’s drawing!”

 

Izuku looked between the Slate and Mei, eyes narrowed as if suspecting a trap, but nevertheless acquiesced. 

 

The second his finger made contact with the symbol, his shield materialized on his pack, exactly where it had been before.

 

Ochaco and Izuku began hopping around, both freaking out in excitement. Momo managed to contain herself, but she, too, was internally screaming at how impressive the invention was.

 

Izuku rushed up to Mei, grabbing her by the shoulders. “This is amazing! Mei, you’re a genius!”

 

Mei then did something Momo had never seen the girl do; she blushed. 

 

“W-Well, yes!” Mei stammered, trying to regain her composure. After a quick breath, she calmed herself and winked at Izuku. “Now easy there, Hero, you’re gonna have to buy me dinner first~”

 

Izuku quickly released his hold and frantically apologized, letting loose a stream of mumbling whilst closely resembling a tomato.

 

_ ‘Oh no,’ _ Momo thought to herself,  _ ‘he’s adorable.’ _

 

* * *

 

The newly assembled trio left Mei’s workshop with a variety of more mundane items. Izuku received a new chainmail shirt, and a similar one was gifted to Ochaco. Mei also made sure to show each member of the party how to operate the warp function on the Slate. 

 

One brief trip and collective vomit session to the disc that sat just in front of Mei’s workshop, and the three wobbled off to start their journey.

 

Izuku turned to Momo, being very careful to keep his eyes locked on hers. “So, Momo, where does the Princess want us to go to first?”

 

Momo hummed, looking up from the Slate as she cataloged their inventory. “First we must collect your steed along with an additional horse for myself. Then we head Southeast to Kakariko Village to enlist the aid of the Sheikah.”

 

Ochaco put her finger to her chin. “But, aren’t you Sheikah? Aren’t you all already on our side?”

 

Momo coughed, her shoulders suddenly very tense. “Y-Yes, well, um. You see, while the Sheikah as a whole  _ are _ aligned with the Hyrulean crown, the Sheikah tribe has grown in recent centuries. My people now consist of several clans that meet democratically to make decisions on behalf of the entire tribe.”

 

Izuku nodded. “That’s not that different from how Musutafu works, only we have a pretty small town. I bet the Sheikah must have a lot to teach!”

 

Momo seemed to relax a bit as Izuku began excitably theorizing about the different political systems of Hyrule.

 

* * *

 

Ochaco squealed the minute Epona came into sight. The girl immediately rushed forward, with the mare pulling free of the guard that was handling her to run toward Ochaco and immediately nuzzle the girl’s face.

 

“Hey girl,” Ochaco whispered, “didya miss me?”

 

Epona whinnied in affirmation, eliciting another giggle out of Ochaco. “Yeah, I missed you too.”

 

Izuku walked over, smiling softly. “Hey girl, are you ready to head out?” He received a similar nuzzle in response.

 

Momo walked toward her own white mare that was brought out to her, stroking her mane gently and stowing her personal effects on the saddle. “You have a beautiful mare, Ochaco. Are you all ready to travel?”

 

Ochaco nodded. “Yeah, let’s get going. Izuku,” she turned to the boy, “how about you take turns riding with me and Momo, that way we can move faster and each horse can have a break?”

 

Izuku felt himself blush at the prospect, and was about to suggest he could simply walk until Momo spoke up. 

 

“I agree with Ochaco.” Momo mounted her steed. “Izuku here, let me help you up.”

 

_ ‘I guess this is how I die, riding on a horse behind a beautiful Sheikah woman.’ _

 

Izuku did his best to suppress his burning embarrassment, and took Momo’s hand, slinging himself up behind her.

 

Ochaco grinned over at her strawberry-faced companion before looking down to the South. “So, Momo, can you lead? I’ll be honest, I’ve never gone anywhere beyond Castle Town and my ranch.”

 

Momo nodded. “Of course, we head South, through the Dueling Peaks, and then North again toward Kakariko.” She turned back to Izuku and smiled as best she could through her face mask. “I expect it will take us several days. Fortunately, there are several stables along the way that we can stay the night in.” 

 

Izuku tensed the minute Momo turned to face him, immediately becoming aware of just how close their bodies were in proximity to one another.

 

“Lead the way,” Ochaco chirped, apparently oblivious to Izuku’s obvious embarrassment at riding behind the Sheikah woman in front of him.

 

Izuku groaned internally the minute Momo’s horse began moving and he felt his body involuntarily begin brushing against hers.

 

_ ‘Hylia save me. I’m going to die before any monster gets a chance at me.’ _

 

* * *

 

Momo could feel Izuku behind her, the boy was practically trembling. She knew he might be a bit flustered, but this seemed like a bit much. They’d been on the road, traversing Hyrule Field for the better part of an hour, and the boy hadn’t relaxed once. He kept both hands firmly planted on the saddle below his legs, refusing to touch Momo.

 

“Izuku?” Momo turned back to look at her companion, causing him to squeak in response. “You know you can relax a bit, right?”

 

Izuku nodded, his lips a tight line and his freckles nearly invisible under his glowing blush.

 

Momo smirked, taking some small satisfaction in his reaction. She hadn’t spent that long with Izuku, but she could already tell that the boy was too timid for his own good.

 

_ ‘This won’t do, it’s almost as if he’s unused to spending this much time around women.’ _

 

“You know,” Momo offered, “you  _ can _ wrap your arms around my waist. It has to be more comfortable than trying to hang on by the seat of your pants.”

 

Ochaco giggled from her seat on Epona, causing Izuku to turn even redder somehow.

 

“R-Right, um-” Izuku slowly snaked his arms around Momo’s waist, causing the girl to shiver slightly when his chest pressed against her back. “I-Is this okay?”

 

Momo nodded. “Yes, now try to relax, you’re going to spook Storm.”

 

As if on cue, Storm nickered in agreement.

 

Izuku took a deep breath and relaxed, with Momo taking some comfort in his presence. “Now,” she began, “we have a decent amount of riding left to do today, and we ought to make it to the Riverside Stable for the night.”

 

Ochaco nodded, and Momo could feel Izuku mumble something that she assumed was a ‘yes.’ 

 

Each wrapped in their internal thoughts, the two bemused women and one flustered man continued on their journey.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Hope you're enjoying the story so far! I'm having a fun time writing it. Sorry for the long wait on this one, it's been busy since my coaching schedule picked up now that Track season is in full swing. I'm still aiming for updates roughly every week or so, but if I fall behind I apologize in advance.
> 
> Next Time: Our trio is on the road!


	6. On the Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our heroes are on the road

Around early evening that same day, Ochaco spotted the telltale windmill and Malanya shrine of a stable just ahead of the trio. It had been a fairly easy ride to get here, one of the benefits of the safety that Hyrule Field provided. 

 

After a few hours of riding rather stiffly and red-faced behind Momo, Ochaco suggested that Izuku swap horses and ride behind her. Giggling slightly, Ochaco felt a slight comfort in having the young man sitting behind her. Despite only knowing the young man a few days, she felt immensely comfortable around him.

 

Momo was a different story. There was an unmistakable aura of mystery surrounding the Sheikah woman that made Ochaco endlessly curious. No small part of that was due to the fact that the other woman’s face was mostly hidden, leading Ochaco to spend most of the journey fantasizing about what could be hidden underneath.

 

‘ _ If the rest of her face is as beautiful as her eyes…’ _

 

She coughed roughly and her face immediately flushed.  _ ‘No, Ochaco, stop it. You just met her.’ _

 

Not helping matters was the feeling of Izuku’s arms wrapped around her waist.

 

_ ‘I really need to get a grip. This is gonna be a long journey.’ _

 

* * *

 

Momo dismounted Storm as the trio pulled up to the Riverside Stable, patting her mare softly. “Izuku, can you get us some beds for the night? Ochaco and I can take care of the horses.”

 

The boy nodded in agreement before speeding off.

 

_ ‘He… really needs to get more comfortable around women.’ _

 

Momo glanced his way, taking note of the way his eyes seemed to glint in the twilight as he jogged to the counter of the stable. 

 

_ ‘Maybe I could help with that-’ _

 

And once again Momo was eternally grateful for the fact that her mask covered her face.

 

“Momo?” Ochaco seemed to follow Momo’s line of sight before adopting a small blush of her own.

 

The princess in disguise shook herself before turning to her companion and coughing lightly. “Shall we…” She paused for a moment to collect herself, “Um, the horses?”

 

Ochaco nodded slowly, her eyes seeming to drift over Momo before snapping to the woman’s eyes. “Yeah, of course!” Ochaco smiled sunnily and Momo felt a pleasant tug at her heart. 

 

_ ‘That’s new.’ _

 

* * *

 

Izuku couldn’t wait to sleep. He’d spent the entire day sitting stiff as a board behind not one but  _ two  _ incredibly beautiful women. 

 

_ ‘Girls  _ **_never_ ** _ talked to me back home. Why couldn’t the predecessors teach me how to talk to girls…? SOME OF THEM WERE GIRLS!’  _ He groaned in annoyance.

 

The stable owner was kind and, surprisingly, had three beds all next to one another, the only ones unoccupied. Izuku thanked the Goddesses that he would not have to endure sharing a bed with one of them, ‘ _ I don’t think my heart can take it…’ _ Each had curtains for privacy, and the soft sounds of the twilight hour were a siren song to the exhausted boy.

 

_ ‘I hope they don’t think I’m creepy. It was so much easier when Ochaco and I were just walking next to Epona. Riding behind them feels so…’ _ Just as he was trying to find a way to finish that thought, his two companions reappeared chatting happily. 

 

Before he could greet them, a loud gurgling emanated from his stomach, forcing a bashful smile to his face. “I’m gonna go get something for us to eat, okay?”

 

Momo’s eyebrows shot up. “On your own?”

 

Izuku shrugged, stifling a yawn. “Yeah, I’m used to it.”

 

The taller girl’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t think so, I’m coming too.” She dropped her pack, retrieving a small wooden bow and a quiver, strapped the object to her hip and looking up to Izuku expectantly.

 

Ochaco coughed in what sounded suspiciously like a laugh and swiped the Sheikah Slate from Izuku’s hip. “I’m gonna stay here, I started feeling a little under the weather on the way here. Plus, if you guys are going out, I’ll start learning my way around this. See you two in a bit!” The brunette flopped back onto her bed and proceeded to start swiping through the functions on the Slate.

 

Still standing across from Izuku was Momo, eyeing him with a quirked eyebrow. 

 

“R-Right!” Izuku slung his own wooden bow over his back and lead the way out of the circular stable. As he started walking out with Momo, the jingle of his mail conspicuously cutting through the quiet of the early evening.

 

“Hey, Izuku,” Momo began, her voice cracking with laughter, “you’re going to scare away everything if you keep making this much noise.”

 

Suddenly very conscious of how much noise he was making, Izuku quickly rushed back inside to remove his tunic and mail shirt. He returned wearing his undershirt, blushing furiously at Momo for his mistake and quickly gestured to her that they should continue.

 

“So, Izuku, where do you want to start?” 

 

The young man looked around, surveying the surrounding area, and just across the river that flowed behind the stable, he spotted a small forest. “That ought to work.” 

 

He tilted his head toward the forest and began jogging along the river toward a wooden bridge, with Momo noiselessly trailing behind him. 

 

“Have you hunted before?” Momo asked as she followed behind Izuku.

 

The boy slowed his pace, considering the question. “A bit, my dad travels a lot, so when the store ran low on game I’d have to go hunting.” He glanced over his shoulder. “What about you?”

 

Momo’s eyes darted around for a moment before she responded. “I… Only a handful of times, and never without company.”

 

Izuku hummed in response, the sounds of his footsteps tapped on the wooden bridge as the pair crossed the river into the forest on the other bank.

 

As soon as they stepped into the woods, Izuku looked until he found a particularly tall, sturdy looking oak, and he immediately began scaling it. 

 

Momo watched in quiet bemusement as the boy climbed the tree, looking very similar to an overgrown squirrel. Soon enough the rustling of the tree quieted and the sounds of the forest resumed, crickets chirping and water rushing.

 

Cutting through the silence came a single thrum and the whoosh of an arrow as it shot from out of the tree and into the greenery. A short yelp rang out and Izuku dropped from his perch, sprinting to where his arrow had found purchase.

 

On the ground was a medium sized buck with a single arrow through its eye. The shot had been clean, Izuku knelt on his knees and thanked the Goddess silently that the animal hadn’t suffered.

 

His companion jogged over, appraising Izuku’s work with what the boy hoped was an impressed glint in her eye. “Well done, do you think that will be enough?”

 

Izuku unsheathed a small knife and sized up the deer. “There should be more than enough for the three of us, plus some extra we can salt and store if we need to.”

 

Momo nodded and glanced around. “Will we need anything else?”

 

“Anything you can find; mushrooms, herbs- uh, you might want to look away...” He lined up his knife with the underside of one of the buck’s legs.

 

The woman winced slightly and turned away. “I’ll be back soon then, give me a shout if anything happens.”

 

Izuku nodded and grunted out a quick ‘you too’ as he began cutting away at the skin of the deer.

 

* * *

 

A little over an hour after they left, Izuku and Momo returned with a cleaned deer carcass and a sack full of various herbs and ingredients.

 

Ochaco was drooling the minute Izuku began cooking the meat, the scent of the deer sending her stomach into a chorus of growls. 

 

“Izuku, are you sure I can’t help out?” 

 

The boy shook his head as he added some of the washed mushrooms to the cooking pot. “I’ve got this one, you and Momo just relax. My mom would kill me if I didn’t use the years of cooking experience that she taught me.”

 

Ochaco giggled lightly and went back into the stable to rejoin Momo.

 

“Ochaco,” the Sheikah woman looked up to greet the brunette, “did you find anything interesting on the Slate while Izuku and I were gone?”

 

The smaller Hylian reached out for the Slate that Momo was holding. “Yeah, but I’m still not totally sure how it works. The way Mei used it in the workshop made it look so easy.” She took the Slate when Momo handed it to her and rushed outside to steal a mushroom from Izuku, who let out an indignant ‘Hey!’ 

 

Walking back inside, she set the simple, red mushroom down and held the Slate up before seeming to aim the eye insignia on the back of the Slate at the fungus. With a quick tap of the screen, the mushroom dematerialized in a stream of blue light and on the screen of the Slate, a perfect image of the mushroom appeared.

 

Momo stood up quickly, striding over to inspect the Slate. “That’s incredible! Can you bring it back?”

 

Ochaco nodded and tapped the icon for the mushroom, and with a quick flash of the same blue light, the mushroom reappeared. 

 

Momo began bouncing up and down in excitement. “This is amazing! I wonder if it keeps the items stored as they are? Or do they age inside the Slate?” She put a hand to her chin and hummed thoughtfully, still bouncing lightly on the balls of her feet. “So much to consider, but-” She quickly grabbed Ochaco’s hand and stared into the other girl’s eyes. “You made an incredible breakthrough! I can’t wait to test this out more!”

 

_ ‘She’s so bouncy,’ _ Ochaco thought to herself, feeling a warmth spread through her cheeks and the hand that had just been released.

 

Just a few minutes later wherein Ochaco and Momo tested the Slate on different objects, Izuku returned with two plates of seared meat along with sauteed mushrooms and vegetables. The aroma of the meal wafting through the air reignited Ochaco’s stomach, which now was making noises akin to the roar of a Lynel.

 

She happily took the plate, thanked Izuku profusely, and throwing all decorum to the wind, dug in.

 

_ ‘So good, it’s not fair.’ _ She glanced up at the strapping young man across from her.  _ ‘He can’t be this adorable, the Hero of Legend,  _ **_and_ ** _ a good cook.’ _

 

Suddenly she became aware of the absence of their third companion. “Where’s Momo?”

 

Izuku looked up and gestured with his head outside with a small frown. “I don’t think she’s comfortable taking her mask off around us yet.”

 

The young woman deflated a bit. “I guess we did just meet her this morning.”

 

Izuku hummed quietly, taking a small sip from his water cup. “It’ll take some time, we just need to be patient.” He snorted. “I mean, even you and I have only known each other a few days. But, it almost seems like we’ve been friends for a long time... So I hope I can consider you one?”

 

The way he asked made Ochaco’s heart soar, a sunny smile lighting up her face. “Of course! Well, to be honest, aside from Epona you’re probably my  _ only  _ friend.”

 

Izuku gave a warm smile, wiped off his hand on his pants, and reached out to shake Ochaco’s hand. But the girl had another idea. She simply set her plate down, walked over, and pulled him into a tight hug.

 

“Thank you,” she murmured into his shoulder.

 

Izuku was tense, clearly unused to hugging anyone outside of his family. After a moment he relaxed and gently patted Ochaco on the head. “Of course.”

 

When the girl pulled away, she felt a tingle in her nose, and half a second later she began sneezing. 

 

“Sorry-” She sneezed again.

 

Izuku looked at her with concern. “Are you okay?”

 

Ochaco rubbed her nose. “Yeah, I think I might be getting sick. Usually, this only happens when it rains.”

 

As if on cue, the sounds of pouring rain filled the air, followed by the tapping of feet on wet grass as Momo rushed in with her empty plate of food. The woman brushed the rain off before joining Izuku and Ochaco on the floor.

 

“Thank you again for the dinner, Izuku.”

 

The boy nodded, reaching into his pack and handing Momo a blanket. “No problem. Here, warm up a bit.”

 

Ochaco began another sneezing fit, causing Momo to look on the girl with concern. The brunette blushed, embarrassed. “I promise I’ll be okay, it’s just the rain. I doubt I’m getting sick, promise.”

 

Neither Izuku or Momo looked reassured, “Still, we should keep an eye on that.”

 

* * *

 

As the sun’s light finally dwindled behind the hills, Momo began preparing her bed for the night. She had taken the bed on one side of Ochaco, with Izuku taking the largest bed on the other(much to the boy’s objection). Ochaco hadn’t stopped sneezing, and Momo wished the rain would let up so she or Izuku could brew the poor girl something. 

 

Suddenly the bustling of footsteps pulled the attention of the princess in disguise. A small family came rushing in from the rain. Momo had to suppress a coo at seeing the young couple’s adorable little daughter as the young girl shook the rain out of her braid. Momo could just overhear the lament of the stable owner as he told the family that the stable was booked for the night. 

 

Before the stable owner could finish his directions to the stable just up the river, Izuku jogged over, offering his sizable bed, telling the family he’d be more than fine sleeping on his bedroll on the floor. 

 

The father thanked Izuku profusely and attempted to pay him, but Izuku shook his head with a smile, saying it was his pleasure to help. 

 

Momo felt a warmth spread in her chest watching the young couple wrap take turns vigorously shaking Izuku’s hand. 

 

The young man walked over to Ochaco and Momo and began rolling out his beroll for the night between their two beds.

 

Ochaco looked at Momo with a sympathetic look before glancing at Izuku. “Hey, you know, I can always take the floor, I’m sick anywa-”

 

“No way!” Izuku looked shocked. “Ochaco you need proper rest, please don’t worry about it, I’ll be okay.”

 

Momo tried next. “I can always share a bed with Ochaco?” 

 

Izuku once again shook his head. “Then you might get sick too, please don’t worry, I’ll be just fine down here.”

 

Momo once again shared a look with Ochaco before a small blush lit up her face under her balaclava. “Izuku, just get up here.” Momo sat down and patted the bed next to her.

 

It was the boy’s turn to blush now. “I-I couldn’t!”

 

The young woman huffed. “I may not have known you long, but you were a complete gentleman when you were riding behind me on Storm. Just get up here. I’m not letting you sleep on the floor.”

 

After some hesitation and glances at Ochaco(who was sporting a fiery blush too), Izuku finally agreed and stiffly sat on the other side of the bed from Momo.

 

Ochaco shot Izuku a sympathetic look. “N-Night guys.” The brunette then drew her curtains closed and seemed to settle in for the night. 

 

Momo pulled the top part of her balaclava down, letting her dark hair cascade down her shoulders. She removed the leather pieces of armor attached to her jumpsuit in addition to the thin boots on her feet. “Izuku? Would you mind closing the curtains?”

 

The boy flinched before nodding quickly, kicking off his boots and complying. He’d brought the blanket from his bedroll in and was laying on top of the blanket that Momo was tucking herself under.

 

Momo felt her breath under her mask, and in the dark of the stable, behind the curtains, she couldn’t wait to remove it. The only problem was…

 

“Izuku?”

 

“Y-Yes?”

 

“If I… took off my mask, could you not peek?”

 

Izuku tensed up further. “I promise, I would never betray your trust.”

 

The young woman felt herself relax, and feeling content enough with Izuku’s reply, she removed the mask and breathed in the fresh night air.

 

“That’s better.”

 

Izuku hummed, seemingly doing his best to relax as well. 

 

“Could you tell me about where you’re from, Izuku?”

 

The boy shifted before sighing deeply in a way that Momo could only interpret as being homesick. 

 

“Musutafu is… peaceful. It’s just south of the Great Hyrule Forest, so we don’t get a lot of travelers besides people who go looking for the sword.” He chuckled to himself. “But I guess now, even if someone did find the pedestal, they’d be disappointed that the sword is missing.”

 

Momo laughed softly.

 

“Mostly, Musutafu is just quiet. It was mostly just me and my mom for most of the year, my dad is a traveling merchant so I would help Mom run the shop.” His voice took on a somber tone. “I hope she’s doing alright on her own.”

 

Momo instinctively reached down and grabbed Izuku’s hand reassuringly. 

 

And for once, Izuku didn’t flinch or freeze, instead squeezing the girls hand back.

 

“What about you?” Izuku asked quietly. “What’s your home like?”

 

Momo paused, considering her words carefully. “It’s just me and my father, my mother passed away some time ago.”

 

Izuku shifted. “I’m sorry.”

 

The young woman sighed. “It’s… I… I miss her every day. But my father has done everything he could to help me through it all.” 

 

“You two sound close.”

 

Momo smiled to herself. “Yes, this will be the longest we’ve been apart.”

 

The boy hummed quietly. “I hope we can make it through this so we can all see them again soon.”

 

“As do I.” Momo felt sleep tug at her eyes, and before she could speak further, she felt herself drift off to sleep.

 

* * *

 

Izuku woke the next morning to the feeling of hair up his nose. He spluttered and quickly shot up. Suddenly remembering his promise to Momo though, he screwed his eyes shut before he could accidentally look her way. As he started to blindly rise, he felt an arm wrapped around his waist and did his best to ignore the soft, indignant hums as he accidentally woke his partner. 

 

The boy quite literally stumbled out of bed in the early light of the morning, landing with a soft thud on the floor. He took some small comfort in the fact that he was the only one awake at the moment so there was no witness to his fumble. 

 

He stretched, feeling the satisfying pop of his joints as he let his body wake up. 

 

Izuku spotted the stable owner right outside tending to the horses and decided to approach him to ask about where he could find something for breakfast.

 

* * *

 

Ochaco awoke feeling extra groggy. Without meaning to, she’d overheard Momo and Izuku talking quietly in between her stifled sneezes.

 

Something deep inside her had felt uneasy that her two companions were sharing a bed, and she couldn’t quite pin down what that feeling had been.

 

She knew that nothing had happened, but a part of her had wished that she had been able to lay in bed talking to them too.

 

As she ruffled her hair into some manageable sense of order, she rose and stepped out into the cool morning air. Blinking in the light, she was able to pinpoint the form of Izuku just outside at the cooking pot, and she felt a tug at her heart as he seemed to glow in the morning light. 

 

Next to her, it seemed Momo was also rising from her slumber. After some shifting, Momo stepped out sans the top part of her face mask, meaning that her flowing black hair framed her face in the morning light, causing her two ruby red eyes to shine. 

 

_ ‘This is too much for my heart to take this early in the morning.’ _ Ochaco coughed lightly, attempting to regain her composure. 

 

“Good morning, Ochaco.” Momo’s eyes crinkled in a way that indicated she was smiling.

 

“Good morning!” 

 

The two girls walked outside to greet Izuku, who had managed to buy some Cucco eggs off the stable owner and had picked and washed some more mushrooms to make them a scramble for breakfast.

 

Ochaco hummed happily as she took her first bite.

 

_ ‘I need to be careful, he’s spoiling me.’ _

 

* * *

 

The ride out of Riverside Stable was an uneventful one, and the trio seemed considerably more comfortable in each others company. This was most evidently seen in Izuku’s more relaxed posture as he rode behind Momo. Because of this, the group felt more comfortable picking up the pace, having Storm and Epona set off at a gallop to make some progress. They followed the river south until they came across a giant plateau and turned left toward the imposing mountains that made up the Dueling Peaks.

 

Momo turned back to speak to Izuku and Ochaco. “We just need to make it through the ravine between the two peaks and we will be just a short ride away from Kakariko Village.”

 

Izuku felt eager to make it to the Sheikah village. Mostly because aside from Momo and Mei, he had never met a Sheikah before. He actually knew very little about them. Unlike the other races of Hyrule, the Sheikah were rather isolated. 

 

The three adventurers passed through a small settlement just at the base of the plateau, and just in front of a small bridge.

 

A small group of children chased the horses as they trotted through, laughing and giggling the whole way and bringing a broad smile to Izuku’s face.

 

Overall the day was going exceedingly well, so when the trio approached the opening to the Dueling Peaks, it came as a bit of a surprise when Izuku took an arrow to the shoulder.

 

He immediately let out a scream of pain and fell off of Storm. 

 

Ochaco let out a shriek of fear and confusion, the sound of which was overshadowed by the sudden squeals of what sounded like a boar.

 

Izuku winced through the pain and glanced up to see a group of red… things rushing toward them from their hiding place behind some rocks by the river.

 

In some faint part of his mind, he could hear a voice screaming at him to move. Izuku quickly lurched to his feet, scrambling to unsheathe his sword and grip his shield, only to wince in pain as his left shoulder protested at the sudden weight. 

 

Momo immediately started firing arrows at the creatures and suddenly Izuku heard a voice cry out in his mind.

 

_ “Bokoblins! Wake up, kid! You have to help the girls!” _

 

_ ‘Toshinori?’ _

 

Izuku recalled in some faraway memory the stories of Bokoblins, they were vile creatures who seemed to enjoy tormenting people.

 

The weight of the shield was too much, and Izuku felt himself drop it as his body began to move seemingly on its own. He dashed as best he could toward the nearest Bokoblin who fortunately was distracted by the scared whinnying of the horses.

 

Izuku felt a tug as he swung his sword, the unfamiliar cleaving sensation sending chills down his spine as he willed the sword to continue cutting.

 

When the Boko fell limply to the ground with a thud, he gained the attention of the other two. An indignant scream ripped from the nearer of the two Bokoblins but was swiftly cut off as an arrow plunged into the back of its throat. 

 

Momo’s eyes seemed to glow with fire as she nocked another arrow and took aim, but was stopped as Ochaco pulled Epona around and the mare kicked the third creature as hard as she could with her hind legs.

 

A sickening crunch filled the air as the third Boko fell hard, leaving only the archer by the rocks.

 

Fortunately for the trio, the archer was too busy squealing with anger when Momo took fire again, hitting the disgusting creature between the eyes and silencing the grove.

 

Izuku took a knee hard, and with the adrenaline no longer useful, he felt his shoulder throb with pain as blood seeped out of the wound.

 

Momo quickly dismounted, reaching into her bag to find some bandaging. Ochaco quickly followed suit and began rummaging through their packs for anything useful.

 

“Try to stay still, moving around seemed to widen the wound and you’re bleeding too much.” Momo’s voice was full of worry as she knit her eyebrows, quickly appraising the wound.

 

“Yeah,” Izuku said hazily, “I’m not feeling so hot.”

 

“Izuku?” Ochaco sounded terrified as she looked at Izuku, but the boy was having a hard time reading her expression.

 

_ “Kid? Stay with them. You’re going into shock and losing a lot of blood. You need to stay upright.” _

 

_ ‘I’m trying, Tosh-’ _

 

Izuku was unable to finish his thought as he suddenly slumped back unconscious, deaf to the concerned shouts of his two companions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for waiting so long for this chapter. Big thanks and shout out to my beta team for helping me get this done.  
> Titus621  
> Epicderpybro2  
> Toony  
> Epsilon110  
> This chapter took me a while mostly because I really couldn't figure out the best way to move the story along naturally without skipping a large chunk of time.   
> Also I've gotten pretty busy as of late and it's slowed down production of my chapters
> 
> Next Time: Let's hope Izuku is okay!


	7. Dueling Peaks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Miracle Max: It just so happens that your friend here is only mostly dead. There's a big difference between mostly dead and all dead... Now, mostly dead is slightly alive. Now, all dead, well, with all dead, there's usually only one thing that you can do.   
> Inigo Montoya: What's that?   
> Miracle Max: Go through his clothes and look for loose change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Toony and Epicderpybro2 for betaing this chapter!

Izuku felt his heart pounding heavily in his chest, almost as if it was trying to escape the sore body that contained it. His eyes flitted open and he stared into the familiar endless sky of the Realm of the Sword.

 

“What?”

 

“You took a pretty heavy hit to the shoulder, kiddo.” The familiar voice of Toshinori startled Izuku out of his stupor.

 

“Toshinori! Wait… am I-”

 

“Dead?” 

 

Izuku winced, causing the other man to chuckle. “No son, you’re alive, just unconscious. I think the sword brought you in here so we could talk about your first real fight.”

 

Izuku sat upright, feeling a sharp pain and clutching his shoulder, half expecting to see blood. But instead, the wound just glowed a soft reddish color. “I don’t understand. I’ve sparred with you and Nana and the others tons of times. How did I get hurt so badly?”

 

“Sweetie, I don’t know if you fully understand the gift that this realm is.”

 

Izuku’s head whipped around to see Nana approaching him from behind. The woman took a seat next to Toshinori on the log the man had been sitting on. 

 

“I don’t?”

 

Toshinori sighed. “This place lets you practice a variety of techniques, in addition to letting you work with us for hours on end. But haven’t you noticed that none of the injuries you sustain here follow you back into the real world?”

 

“I guess I hadn’t considered it.” The boy shifted, pulling himself into a sitting position atop the log across from Toshinori and Nana. 

 

Nana smiled sympathetically. “None of the damage you sustain here is serious, as injuring you here would be counterproductive to your progress. In a way, it was meant to keep you safe, but it also has done you a small disservice in your expectations for what a real battle is like.”

 

Izuku winced as he recalled the splitting pain he’d received when he began swinging his sword around with an arrow lodged in his shoulder.

 

“You are a capable fighter, Izuku. Make no mistake about that. But as you go forward you will encounter stronger enemies. In your current state you have all the knowledge you need to succeed, but what you lack is  _ real  _ experience.” Toshinori grabbed a tree branch and began doodling three hearts in the dirt. “As you traverse this world, you will gain strength, that’s one of the benefits of the magic that binds you to the sword.” He began drawing extra hearts on the ground. “As you reach closer to your full potential, you will find that you can shrug off heavier hits.”

 

Nana interjected. “That doesn’t mean you can go throwing yourself at danger. You’re going to Kakariko first, yes?”

 

Izuku nodded.

 

“If memory serves, there should be a Fairy Fountain there. Speak to the Great Fairy there, she may be able to help you.”

 

Izuku winced when he felt a strange tugging at his core.

 

“Oh, looks like your companions have gotten help for you. Look.” Toshinori gestured to Izuku’s shoulder, which was now glowing a reddish color. 

 

He could feel a warmth spread through him, and the haze of pain began to ebb away. 

 

Nana ruffled Izuku’s hair. “Let’s try not to have any more emergency meetings, yeah?”

 

Izuku smiled weakly. “I’ll do my best.”

 

“Always remember, if you need to speak to us, just keep the sword close and we can see you in your dreams.”

 

Toshinori nodded along. “We’re here to help.”

 

Izuku noticed his body begin to fade and falter in front of his eyes. “I will, thank you.”

 

* * *

 

“Izuku!?” Momo had left her composure at the base of the Dueling Peaks the minute Izuku had fallen unconscious. After Ochaco had dismounted Epona, the two women had pulled their unconscious companion onto the sturdy horse’s back and set off at a gallop. Momo knew for a fact that there was a stable at the other side of the peaks, and it would be faster to reach that than to double back. 

 

With the stable coming into view, Momo began thinking of how in Din’s name she could get Izuku to heal faster. The woman sighed in relief when she saw the cooking pot lit, and with their recent… acquisitions from the Bokoblins, they had monster parts.

 

_ ‘Time to see if I remember how to make an elixir the way Shota taught me.’ _

 

Momo could hear the tired voice of her guard captain in the back of her mind, feeding her the instructions. Instructions she began relaying to Ochaco.

 

“We need a hearty lizard! Please tell me he has one!”

 

The brunette began fumbling through Izuku’s pack as the horses came to a stop in front of the stable.

 

“I don’t see anything!”

 

Momo cursed. “We can’t feed him anything unless he’s awake. At least if we had an elixir I could pour a little down his throat.”

 

“Do you ladies need some help?”

 

Both women snapped around to spot a strange looking man carrying an oversized pack.

 

“Woah, he’s in rough shape, what happened?”

 

Ochaco glanced at Momo before looking back at the man. “We were attacked. Bokoblins.”

 

The man grimaced. “Yeah, they’re a big problem in these parts. The further you get from town, the more active they are.”

 

Momo looked at the man with a fire in her eyes. “I appreciate the sympathy but unless you have a hearty lizard, we can’t stay and chat.”

 

The man faltered. “W-Well, no. I don’t have one of those. But will this help?” He reached into his pack and produced a glowing pink bottle. “I normally trade these for beetles but you need it much more than me.” He jogged over to the two women, and seeing the suspicious looks on their faces, attempted to explain. “It’s a fairy tonic. Supposed to help a lot with this sort of thing.”

 

Momo’s eyes lit up. “Thank you!” She quickly ran to Izuku and gestured to Ochaco that she should help. Together the two women lifted the man off Epona and laid him gently onto the ground. 

 

The man handed the bottle to Momo, who then turned to Ochaco. “Could you tilt his head back and open his mouth? If he chokes we need to roll him to the side. Let’s hope he manages to swallow some.”

 

Ochaco followed Momo’s directions, taking great care to be gentle with Izuku. Momo uncorked the bottle and gently poured just a bit into Izuku’s mouth. She then set the bottle aside and closed Izuku’s mouth as gingerly as possible. 

 

When he didn’t immediately start coughing, Momo grew concerned, but after a couple of seconds, the boy’s shoulder began glowing softly. In a bizarre display, the arrow that had been lodged into his shoulder began forcing its way out. Just as the arrowhead popped out, a quick spurt of blood shot out before the wound seemed to start closing itself. As the wound finished sealing, Izuku twitched several times before shooting upward in a coughing fit.

 

In her relief, Momo threw herself onto Izuku, followed swiftly by the smaller form of Ochaco. 

 

“You’re okay!” Momo could feel her eyes begin to sting with tears.

 

On the boy’s other side, Ochaco was already sobbing happily.

 

Izuku coughed several more times before weakly wrapping his arms around his two companions. “It’s okay now, I am here, I’m alright.” He squeezed tighter. “Thank you for saving me.”

 

Momo pulled back, wiping her eyes and gesturing toward their single audience member. “We had some help.”

 

The man blushed, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. “Happy to. Name’s Hanta Sero, but most people call me Beedle.” He gestured towards his bag, which under closer inspection carried a resemblance to his namesake.

 

Izuku shifted forward, careful not to drop Momo or Ochaco and reached his hand out. “Thank you, Beedle. I’m Izuku, this is Momo and Ochaco.” He gestured to his two companions. “I owe you too it looks like.”

 

Beedle smiled broadly, accepting Izuku’s hand and shaking it firmly. “My pleasure! I’m always happy to help a fellow traveler.”

 

The green haired man winced as he put weight on his left arm, causing Beedle to frown. “You should drink the rest of that, it’ll help.”

 

Izuku glanced down at the bottle, his eyes widening. “Woah! Is that a fairy tonic?! I’ve heard about this, but I’ve never even seen a fairy, let alone made a tonic with one!” 

 

Beedle laughed. “Well that’s one way to make it, but in my experience fairies don’t take kindly to being cooked. If you ask nicely enough and are willing to barter, they can give some of their essences to make the elixir. It’s not as potent,” he shrugged, “but at least you don’t have to boil a fairy.”

 

Izuku glanced around, clearly looking for his notebook to take notes. Ochaco began hiccuping with laughter, pulling Izuku’s pack over and offering it to him. 

 

The young man thanked her and quickly retrieved his notebook and writing stick and jotted down the new information. He then took a small swig of the elixir and offered Hanta a bright smile. “Thank you again.”

 

As the hero stood to his feet, Momo noticed that the man was holding onto his left arm. “Izuku, is your arm okay?”

 

The boy glanced at Momo with a frown. “I… The elixir made me feel better but I think my arm is still a little messed up.” He then looked down at his shoulder and his eyes widened in horror. “No! The tunic! It’s all bloody! Oh, wait no-” He quickly unwound his scarf with his right arm, crying out in distress as he noticed the sizable blood stain on it.

 

“What’s wrong, Izuku?” Ochaco quirked her eyebrow.

 

Izuku’s eyes grew misty. “The… The princess made this for me herself. I haven’t even had it a week and I already ruined it.”

 

Momo felt her heart squeeze.  _ ‘It means that much to him?’ _

 

“I…” Momo searched for the right words. “If I know the princess, and I like to think I know her very well, I know that she would be relieved that you are alive over anything else.” The woman strode over and gently took the scarf from Izuku, wrapping it behind his neck and pulling the extra fabric under his arm to create a sling. “I know for a fact that the princess cares for your safety dearly.”

 

Izuku flushed deeply at the closeness and nodded quickly muttering out his thanks.

 

_ ‘Good to see his color returned.’ _ Momo sighed, happy to see him returning to form. When Momo finished the sling her hand lingered on his shoulder for a bit as Izuku struggled not to squirm under Momo’s inspection, she tried to hold back a laugh.

 

_ ‘He’s cute when he’s flustered.’ _

 

Momo jumped at the realization of her own thoughts and quickly tried to escape her inner turmoil. 

 

“Uh- Beedle!” She cleared her throat after her sudden outburst. “Would you like to join us for a meal? It’s the least we could do to repay you for your help. 

 

The dark haired man beamed out a toothy smile. “I’d love to! Something tells me you guys have an interesting story and I’d love to hear about it.”

 

* * *

 

Seeing Izuku recovering well was doing wonders for Ochaco’s heart. She helped him transfer his gear into the stable once they arrived. This particular location was considerably quieter than the Riverside Stable, and there were more than enough beds for all of them. 

 

She tried to ignore the small pang of disappointment that she wouldn’t be in a situation that would lead to her sharing her bed with anyone.

 

As the young man recuperated by the fire, chatting happily with Beedle, Ochaco accompanied Momo out into the nearby forest of the Blatchery Plain to find some ingredients to go with the leftover meat from the day before. The Sheikah Slate had truly been a blessing. Once they had discovered how to store meat, a wealth of possibilities had opened up. 

 

Ochaco admired the twinkle of lights coming from the small settlement just east of the stable as the sun began to dip behind the Dueling Peaks.

 

“Ochaco?” Momo’s soft voice pulled the brunette from her sightseeing. The Sheikah woman was bent over, plucking some mushrooms and herbs from the ground.

 

“Y-Yeah? Oh- sorry, Momo.” Ochaco glanced up at one of the apple trees in the cluster of greenery. She jogged over before hoisting herself up on one of the smaller branches, shaking the limbs of the tree until a small collection of fruit fell. Smiling with satisfaction, she let herself drop before scooping up the fallen apples and rejoining Momo. 

 

The two women shared a friendly smile, or at least Ochaco did, Momo’s eyes crinkled at the corners to signal that she was in fact smiling. The walked together slowly, enjoying the colors of the sunset in the sky as they made their way back to Izuku and Beedle.

 

The two young men were chatting happily by the fire exactly where Momo and Ochaco had left them. As they approached with the ingredients, Izuku made to stand up, only to receive a stern look from the two women.

 

“You don’t seriously think we’re going to make you cook in your current state, do you?” The tone of Momo’s voice left no room to argue, forcing Izuku to take a seat as Ochaco giggled, taking the ingredients and beginning to prepare them. 

 

The young man sat down, clutching his arm with a defeated expression.

 

Ochaco stifled another laugh. “ _ Relax,  _ Izuku. Momo and I can handle making the meal for once. You are already Hyrule’s champion, you don’t need to be our cook, too.” 

 

Izuku huffed, wearing a blush.

 

_ ‘Adorable.’ _ Ochaco turned away, hiding her small smile from the Hylian-shaped tomato behind her.

 

Momo caught her eye, glancing at Izuku and back to Ochaco before winking and turning her head down to look at her food preparation.

 

_ ‘Oh Goddesses,’ _ Ochaco felt herself flush,  _ ‘I need to focus before I cut myself by mistake.’ _

 

* * *

 

In the end, Beedle had proven to be a wonderful dinner companion, regaling the trio of adventurers with tales from his travels across Hyrule. In particular, Izuku seemed very interested in hearing about the various races. Momo, of course, was very familiar with them, but it was endearing to see the young man’s eyes light up with wonder as Hanta described Rito Village’s cliffs and sheer drops, or Zora’s Domain’s roaring waterfalls. The merchant had gotten cagey when asked how he knew so much about Gerudo Town, so the trio had dropped the subject.

 

By the time the other residents of the Stable began to prepare for bed, Izuku was nearly asleep already, his head had been bobbing for the last half hour. The effects of that morning’s ambush had taken their toll, so Momo had suggested they all turn in for the night.

 

Izuku looked up sleepily, a frown on his face. “I’m sorry, I don’t wanna ruin the night.”

 

Momo gently swatted Izuku’s good shoulder. “Don’t apologize for getting shot with an arrow. Here, let me help you.” The woman slung her arm under Izuku, careful not to disturb the sling on the left side, and pulled the young man to his feet. Izuku grunted, and Ochaco immediately hopped to her feet, supporting Izuku’s chest and back with her hands.

 

“C’mon, Izuku, Momo’s right.” Ochaco offered the other two a stunning smile. “It’s time for bed.”

 

Izuku sighed. “Alright, sorry Beedle.”

 

The merchant laughed quietly. “It’s okay, Izuku. I’m about ready to turn in too.”

 

“Oh, alright.” The green haired man let himself be half-carried, half-dragged into bed. With an audible thump, Izuku flopped onto the fluffy mattress. He let out a soft groan and Momo felt herself chuckle. 

 

“Thanks, you two, I appreciate… it…” Izuku’s eyes fluttered briefly before his voice dropped off and he descended into the soft, rhythmic breathing of sleep.

 

Something about the sight of the young man sleeping made Momo feel the urge to protect him. Instinctively she reached forward to brush some hair out of his face, only to feel her hand collide with Ochaco’s. 

 

Both women pulled their hands back in surprise, each sporting a furious blush.

 

“...Well… Um, good night.” Ochaco scurried to her bed before quickly drawing the curtains closed.

 

Momo took a moment to calm herself before turning back to Izuku.

 

_ ‘He really is adorable like this.’ _ She hesitated before brushing the hair from his face, her hand lingering on his cheek before she pulled away. “I’m so glad you’re safe, Izuku,” she whispered before drawing the boy’s curtains closed and retreating to her own bed, eager to sleep off the day’s events.

 

* * *

 

Izuku woke the next morning feeling rested. His shoulder was already remarkably better than it had been the day before. Standing up to stretch the stiffness out, he found that once again, he was the first person awake.

 

_ ‘Must be all the years of opening the shop with Mom.’ _ He sighed heavily before making his way around back to the wash bins to freshen up before the day started. His tunic was a mess, and that spoke nothing of the state of his scarf. Momo’s words had helped, but he still was more than a little heartbroken at the garment’s current state. 

 

He placed the two garments aside for the time being before donning his original green tunic from home. The garment made him feel safe and a little homesick. Fastening everything into place, he got to work on preparing some food for the day. 

 

By the time Momo and Ochaco had gotten up and ready, he had several plates of steamed vegetables and mushrooms ready in case Beedle decided to join them.

 

Ochaco grumbled something about spoiling them before taking a seat and thanking Izuku. 

 

Momo gave the young man a soft look before thanking him as well and taking her plate back to bed.

 

After another hour of packing up and offering the fourth plate to Beedle(who graciously accepted), the three travelers loaded up their two horses and bid farewell to their new companion. With the promise that they’d share another meal should they cross paths again, Hanta slung his enormous pack over his back and made his way further east.

 

Izuku made to let Ochaco mount Epona first, but the girl handed him the reins. 

 

“Mind taking over today? I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.”

 

The boy nodded before mounting the mare and hoisting Ochaco up behind him. The girl wrapped her arms around his waist before leaning into his back and sighing softly.

 

Izuku fought the urge to pull away and instead decided that Ochaco just needed some extra rest.

 

With a nod to Momo, the three began their trek north.

 

The looming mountain range that was attached to the northern peak stretched around, encapsulating Blatchery Plain, and just north of the stable lay a path that seemed to be well worn. It continued north just over a small stone bridge that Momo identified as Kakariko Bridge, signifying that they had crossed over into territory maintained by the Sheikah tribe.

 

Izuku absorbed the information, making a mental note to catalog the data later in his journal. 

 

The train wound uphill before entering a split in the peaks, forming a protected pathway between natural stone walls. Just as Izuku thought the path couldn’t possibly lead to an entire village, he spotted a series of wooden arches.

 

“Is this it?” He glanced at Momo, who was wearing a strange expression.

 

A voice called out to them before Momo could reply. 

 

**“State your business.”**

 

Izuku whipped his head forward, searching to find the source of the voice but finding none.

 

Momo spoke before he could reply. “My name is Momo, I come as an emissary of the Kingdom of Hyrule bringing Izuku, bearer of the Sword that Seals the Darkness.”

 

**“And the other?”**

 

Ochaco sat up straight, eyes wide. “I-I’m a part of their traveling party! Ochaco from Uraraka Ranch!”

 

Suddenly a young man roughly the same age as the trio stepped forward seemingly from the shadows, his pristine white hair and lightly tanned skin flawless save for a scar that covered his left eye.

 

“Welcome to Kakariko Village, then. My name is Shoto.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayy, of course he would get better. I hope you guys enjoyed and are ready for the story to heat up a bit. 
> 
> Next time: Welcome to Kakariko Village! Time for some more surprises!


	8. Kakariko

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku and co. are introduced in Kakariko Village

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks Titus and Epic for beta reading this chapter

There was a feeling of rich history in the air as Izuku and company followed the stoic Sheikah into the village. 

 

Although looking around, Izuku wasn’t sure if referring to Kakariko as a ‘village’ was apt.

 

He had come expecting small settlements, perhaps a few building scattered around a sleepy central road.

 

What he was met with astounded him. The Sheikah had truly accomplished some incredible feats of engineering. Two story structures lined the sheer cliff faces, with various ladders, ropes, and staircases. Izuku could just make out the outline of homes that seemed to be recessed into the cliff faces themselves, in addition to a couple of homes that reached up on top of the hills that faced into a central square. 

 

It should have been disorganized, but every home seemed to fit perfectly into the town, and every bit of usable space was being used to utmost effect. The trio could see gardens and shrines, in addition to a couple of small shops and a building that seemed to be either a school or a dojo. It was almost overwhelming, and yet Izuku didn’t feel in the least bit claustrophobic. 

 

“If you wait here, I’ll be back once I inform the elders of your arrival.” Shoto’s quiet voice surprised Izuku. The small group was standing at the foot of a temple of stilts that sat at the foot of a waterfall. 

 

The young man gestured to some hitches near the front. “You can wait here, Mezo will keep you company.” Shoto then turned and began ascending the stairs.

 

Seemingly from nowhere, an incredibly tall Sheikah man appeared. He, like Momo, wore a balaclava on the lower half of his face and had a shock of white hair that covered one eye. The large man inclined his head to the trio of adventurers before crossing his burly arms in front of his chest. 

 

Izuku was immediately transfixed by the man’s arms, noticing that they had strange markings over them. “What are those?”

 

Mezo raised his single, visible eyebrow. “Tattoos.”

 

The boy tilted his head. “Tattoos?”

 

The man nodded his head. “Yeah, ink injected just below the skin. Creates a permanent marking.”

 

Izuku’s eyes widened in fascination, reaching quickly for his notebook. “Do you mind?”

 

The large man shrugged, offering Izuku a better look at his arm. He noticed that the markings seemed to resemble long tendrils with spots. He couldn’t quite make out what they were supposed to be.

 

“Octoroks.”

 

The green haired boy’s head perked up in confusion.

 

“You were mumbling. The tattoos, they’re of Octoroks.”

 

Izuku blushed. “Sorry, bad habit.”

 

Mezo shrugged. “Not a problem.”

 

As Izuku continued to sketch away, Momo and Ochaco dismounted the horses and hitched them, all the while chuckling at the antics of the young man destined to defeat a great evil.

 

* * *

 

Momo felt her blood pressure rising with every glance around Kakariko. Everywhere she looked she saw it: white hair. She should have expected this to come up, but fortunately for her, it seemed both Izuku and Ochaco were blissfully unaware of the fact that Momo was missing a key feature that distinguished the nearly albino tribe from the rest of Hyrule.

 

“They’re ready for you.” 

 

Shoto’s quiet voice nearly scared Momo out of her skin.

 

The trio perked up, bidding a quiet farewell to Mezo before following Shoto up the stairs into the small temple. The wooden steps creaked quietly with each step, the soft sound deafening to Momo as she fretted over her potentially imminent exposure. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Izuku and Ochaco, but she’d grown comfortable pretending to be someone else. As she was right now, the mysterious Momo, she was free to be candid and (mostly) herself, without the stress and pressure of being a member of the royal family 24/7. 

 

Being Princess Zelda came with so many rules and expectations, she didn’t want to lose the freedom she’d gained. Momo appreciated her rather easy life, but it was comforting to be treated without bias. She felt like she was just beginning to get to know Izuku and Ochaco, she didn’t want that ruined by them suddenly acting differently around her or fretting over her.

 

Quickly stuffing her stray strands of hair into her balaclava, she trailed in behind her companions as they entered the wooden room.

 

Inside they were met by four Sheikah that seemed to be adorned in more elaborate sets of robes. Most seemed to have rather kind expressions save for one. A towering man sat glowering at Izuku, his eyes flitting between the Master Sword and the boy’s face.

 

On the highest chair sat a rather small, old man with a wrinkled expression that made him appear as if he was frowning. “Well, welcome to Kakariko or whatever. Tell us who you are.”

 

A younger woman laughed loudly. “Sora, you crack me up, ease off the old grump act.”

 

Another young man, wearing a face mask similar to Momo’s spoke in a soft voice. “It is an honor to have you here, would you mind introducing yourselves?”

 

Izuku cleared his throat, shifting nervously under the attention. “M-My name is Izuku, I come from Musutafu Village.” he unstrapped the sword from his back, taking a knee and unsheathing it before setting it on the ground. “I am the current holder of the Sword that Seals the Darkness. I was sent by the King and Princess to seek the aid of the various settlements of Hyrule for the return of Ganon.”

 

The woman started laughing again. “So serious! Lighten up, Izuku! You’re very welcome here, you and your... friends?”

 

Izuku perked up. “Oh, yeah, of course. This is Ochaco from Uraraka Ranch,” Ochaco curtsied clumsily, “and Momo, one of Princess Zelda’s appointed bodyguards.”

 

The tallest man quirked an eyebrow. “And just what exactly does she think she’s doing wearing Sheikah armor?”

 

Momo began sweating, preparing to speak the rehearsed story she had crafted with her father. “I received training in the ways of the Sheikah, my father is Hylian, but my mother was of this tribe.” 

 

The man sneered. “You expect me to believe you are one of us?”

 

The young woman began to shift uncomfortably. “If it is the same to you, my past is something I choose to keep to myself.”

 

“So you’re a  _ spy! Sent by the crown to come here!?” _ the man roared. “I told you all they are not to be trusted, and yet you welcome them here as friends!?”

 

The oldest man, Sora, slammed his can on the ground. “Calm yourself Enji!” he cast a sympathetic eye to Momo. “Perhaps the young lady could explain herself in private?”

 

Momo sighed, feeling guilty for the secret she was keeping from Izuku and Ochaco. “I’d appreciate that.”

 

Sora grunted. “Shoto, please keep the other two entertained while we talk to this one in private.”

 

Izuku and Ochaco shot Momo concerned looks before cautiously following Shoto out of the temple.

 

“Alright young’n, it’s just us now, no secrets will leave this room under threat of severe punishment.” he shot a pointed glance at Enji, who seemed to ruffle under the glare.

 

Momo hesitated before carefully removing her balaclava, letting her hair flow down and pulling her face mask away. She then focused on the amulet around her neck, releasing the enchantment with soft words before she felt a tingling sensation flow over her skin and the collective adults in the room gasp.

 

“Your Majesty.” the four adults quickly rose before bowing low, even Enji despite his clear reluctance.

 

“Please,” Momo began, “there’s no need for that. I’m sorry for the deception, truly I am, but this was the only way I could travel freely and ensure the hero’s safety.”

 

“Your Grace,” the quiet man spoke up, “I am Shinya, of the Kamihara clan. Please, if you could explain in more detail? I feel it would clear up any lingering confusion.”

 

The young woman sighed. “I must start by saying that while I hardly know Izuku, I do trust him. His selection by the Blade of Evil’s Bane alone should dispel any doubt surrounding him.” The gathered adults nodded with varying degrees of assent. “However, he had never before left his village. This journey will impact the future of Hyrule. I wanted to ensure that his journey was not only productive, but safe.” 

 

Momo began wringing her hands. “I… I believe that part of my duty as the heir to the blood of the Goddess is to help protect the hero.”

 

Sora raised a hand, clearly waiting for permission to speak. Once Momo nodded, his gravelly voice sounded considerably softer. “Your Majesty, why disguise yourself from him, then? Why venture out into the world at all? Surely you would be safer at the castle.”

 

Momo bit her lip, worrying it between her teeth as she considered her answer. “I… Although I have travelled far and wide, it has always been under the weight and expectations of the reigning heiress to the monarchy. I don’t…” she hesitated. “I don’t want to be treated differently by Izuku or Ochaco. I want them to treat me as they would anyone else.”

 

Enji snorted. “You expect us to believe that  _ you,” _ the word dripped with resentment, “are planning on protecting the man who should be protecting you? Is he that helpless?”

 

Momo felt her blood boil a little. “My concern stems from his lack of knowledge on the customs of other cultures in Hyrule. He also is our only hope of defeating Ganon, is he not? Should I  _ not _ be focused on his survival and well-being?”

 

The burly man sneered at her, opening his mouth to retort before being cut off by Sora. “So, Your Grace, have you received any formal combat training?”

 

The young woman nodded. “Yes, I learned everything I could from the captain of my Royal Guard. He spent hours each week preparing me to know how to not only defend myself, but attack should the need arise.”

 

Emi’s eyes widened. “Wait wait wait, you mean Shouta? Shouta Aizawa!?” her lips broke out into a wide, almost manic smile. “Oh man, yeah she’s in good shape if Shouta trained her.”

 

“Y-You know my guard captain?” Momo racked her brain for any memory of her guardian discussing a Sheikah woman. 

 

“Oh yeah! Shouta and I spent a lot of time together, my clan is the one who trained him!” Her face took on a rosy blush. “Through all that time together, a mutual love blossomed. Tell him to get back down here so we can finally get married already!”

 

Momo spluttered. “M-Married!?” 

 

_ ‘Wait, I think I remember Aizawa mentioning a woman like her.’ _ Momo’s eyes glanced over the stunning woman with the giant smile and flushed cheeks.  _ ‘And he actually left Kakariko when  _ **_she_ ** _ was proposing?’ _

 

Emi nodded furiously. “Yeah of course! Tell him the next time you see him that if he doesn’t come down here and make an honest woman out of me I’m coming up to the castle, and then he’s royally screwed.”

 

Before Momo could inquire further, a gruff clearing of the throat from Sora ceased the conversation. “As  _ interesting _ as this all is,” he sent a withering look Emi’s way, “if we could return to the matter at hand.”

 

The Sheikah woman snickered in response, shooting Momo a wink before settling back into her seat.

 

“So, Princess, you are certain you wish for this to remain secret?” The look on Sora’s face told Momo that he disagreed, but he wouldn’t comment on it.

 

“Please, at least for now.” 

 

The elder grunted. “Alright, fine. As you wish. Should I have Shoto bring the other two back in?”

 

Momo quickly whispered her enchantment, feeling the disguise cover her body once again before putting her balaclava back into place. “Thank you.”

 

The gruff man’s eyes softened again before nodding and calling out to Shoto.

 

After a moment, the young Sheikah returned with Izuku and Ochaco. Momo’s two companions both had equally concerned looks on their faces, but much to Momo’s relief, they elected to not say anything.

 

“Now that’s all settled, we can get back to business.” He cast his eyes over Izuku. “Boy, while I respect that you’ve come a long way, the Sheikah can’t lend our aid just yet. Our tribe is dealing with our own problems right now.”

 

“I can help!” Izuku blurted out.

 

The eyebrows of the clan leaders all rose in surprise. 

 

“...you would offer to aid us, without knowing the potential danger?” Shinya sounded intrigued. 

 

“Of course!” The chosen hero took a knee. “As the one chosen by the sword, it is my duty to help those in need. I will gladly do all I can to ease any burden on your village.”

 

Sora grunted with a small grin on his face. “Alright then, I’d say that’s fair trade. All in agreement?” Emi and Shinya immediately rose their hands, with Enji slowly raising his after glowering at Izuku for a moment longer.

 

“We are unanimous. Let’s get you all a place to stay and we can discuss things over dinner.”

 

The three adventurers nodded before being led by Shoto back outside where Mezo was still standing. Just as they reached the bottom of the steps, a booming voice screamed  **_“SHOTO!”_ ** causing the Sheikah boy to flinch.

 

“Mezo, could you get them set up at the inn. It looks like I’m needed with my  _ father _ .” The last word dripped with a shocking amount of resentment.

 

The taller Sheikah simply nodded before gesturing with his hand that the trio should follow him. 

 

The sleepy innkeeper was accommodating for the most part as he set Izuku, Ochaco, and Momo up with three rooms and access to hot water.

 

Momo bid a quick farewell before slipping into her room, sliding to the floor on the opposite side of her door with an extended sigh of relief.

 

_ ‘Just hang on a bit longer, maybe have your crisis of conscience in the bath.” _

 

* * *

 

Izuku shifted a bit as he adjusted the foreign outfit. The Sheikah had been very kind in giving his party sets of clothes to wear while their traveling clothes were washed, but he couldn’t get comfortable in the skin tight fabric that climbed to his neck but left his arms exposed was an odd fit. Over it, he wore a large robe that tied off at the sleeves just below his elbows. He was thankful that, at the very least, the pants weren’t skin tight. 

 

As he walked out, he noticed that Ochaco’s and Momo’s doors were still closed. Deciding to give Momo a little more space, he elected to knock on Ochaco’s door.

 

Izuku heard the muffled sounds of stumbling come from the other side of the door before it flew open and he was greeted by a very disheveled Ochaco. 

 

“Izuku! Help!” The young woman more or less had the same outfit as Izuku, save for the fact that she hadn’t yet managed to put the robe on. “I can’t make heads or tails of these knots.” she looked Izuku up and down, noticing that the boy hadn’t really managed to tie his knots either. 

 

“...Maybe we should ask Momo.”

 

Izuku nodded sharply. “Yeah probably for the best.”

 

The two young Hylians shuffled out of the room with some trepidation. Izuku knew that there was some secret Momo was unwilling to share, and deep down he knew it was bothering him. He could tell by Ochaco’s nervous expression it was bothering her too.

 

“She’ll tell us more when she’s ready… right?”

 

Ochaco’s eyes widened before glancing at Izuku. Her open mouth closed and the corners turned up in a small smile. “Yeah, we just need to be patient.”

 

Izuku nodded, turning his head to Momo’s door and knocking softly.

 

The Sheikah woman opened the door after half a moment and stood in front of her two companions in considerably better shape than they were, her own robes tied immaculately and a straw hat atop her head, covering her hair.

 

“Izuku, Ochaco, did you need something before dinner?”

 

The two Hylians shared a look before gesturing to their robes.

 

“Help.”

 

Momo did her best to stifle a giggle before nodding and ushering the two in.

 

She started with Ochaco, helping the young woman tie off the knots properly around her elbows and waist, finishing by straightening out the collar and pressing everything into place.

 

The brunette stared in awe as she examined herself in a mirror. “Wow, thank you, Momo!”

 

“Of course, now it’s Izuku’s turn.” Momo glanced at the mess of knots Izuku had made. “How did you even…”

 

“I honestly have no idea,” Izuku muttered as he shrugged. 

 

The young woman shook her head before untying the various knots with Izuku’s help and adjusting everything to fit properly. “Some day you’re going to have to learn how to tie a knot properly.”

 

The green haired boy blushed. “Sorry.”

 

Momo stood up, smoothing out Izuku’s robes. “Don’t be, I’ll do my best to help.”

 

Izuku felt a foreign flutter in his stomach. “Thank you.”

 

“Of course.” Her eyes sparkled in the soft light of the room, causing Izuku’s throat to tighten up.

 

Ochaco laid a soft hand on Izuku’s back, disrupting his momentary panic. “Should we head down now?”

 

Both Izuku and Momo nodded before all three made their way downstairs.

 

* * *

 

The scent of sauteed mushrooms drew Izuku downstairs faster than he cared to admit and as he dug into the skewer of Hylian mushrooms, he felt like he was going to pass out from pure bliss at any moment.

 

As he tore into his food with gusto, he noticed out of the corner of his eye that Momo kept her hat tilted down, preventing anyone from seeing her face.

 

The small dinner table was populated only by a handful of guests, including the leaders of each clan. 

 

Sora glanced at Izuku, clearing his throat to get his attention. “If you’re still set on helping us, I suppose we ought to tell you a bit about our troubles.”

 

“Is it really wise to be sharing details of our problems with outsiders?” Enji barked with his deep voice.

 

The older man gave Enji a withering look before turning back to Izuku. “If we can’t trust the chosen hero, then we are truly lost.” He cleared his throat again before standing up and pointing with a cane to the northeast. “For the past few weeks, we’ve been having reports of fires in the surrounding forests. Normally I’d just hikers or Lizalfos, but these fires are too close to our settlements.”

 

Emi nodded. “In addition, our scouts report that the fires seem to burn much hotter than they should. We’re having increasing trouble putting them out.”

 

Izuku stared thoughtfully at his plate. “So you need me to find the source of the fires and stop it?”

 

“We do not know if these fires originate from a single person, or a collective effort. Either way, every fire endangers our area further.” Shinya offered. 

 

Ochaco raised a hand before speaking. “Is there any way we could talk to someone who has more information?”

 

“There’s always the Great Fairy Nemuri. Normally she doesn’t speak to us that often, but with you being the hero…” Sora chuckled. “Something tells me she’ll take a liking to you.”

 

“A Great Fairy!?” Izuku’s jaw dropped. “That’s incredible, I never thought I’d get the chance to meet one!” 

 

Emi started cackling. “Just make sure she doesn’t eat you up before you get the answers you need!”

 

The trio exchanged nervous looks before returning to their food, pledging to seek out the fairy in the morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, I hope you all enjoyed! See if you can catch all the cameos.
> 
> I have relocated from my own server(rip) to Total Command.
> 
> https://discord.gg/MX8ysTa
> 
> Next Time: The trio meets the great fairy and gets some insight into their future trials to aid the Sheikah


	9. The Great Fairy Fountain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku and co. meet the Great Fairy Nemuri and get some advice

The walk up to the top of the hill overlooking Kakariko wasn’t an especially strenuous one, but it carried with it an air of anxiety. Izuku and his two companions breathed in the fresh morning air the morning following their feast and meeting with the Sheikah leadership.

 

The night at the inn had been comfortable, and Izuku was excited to find the next morning that the tunic his mother had made was cleaned and folded up, ready to be worn. The Sheikah had also taken the liberty of patching up the tunic he had been given by the Royal Family, though his scarf was beyond repair. He had packed both the tunic and scarf in his small rucksack.

 

If he remembered correctly, he had read somewhere that Great Fairies could repair and even enhance articles of clothing.

 

He hoped it was true.

 

As the trio entered the woods at the top of the hill, a feeling akin to the one Izuku felt when he first encountered the Master Sword entered the air.

 

_There was magic here._

 

“Where do you think this thing is, Izuku?” Ochaco’s voice sounded nervous, meaning she must feel it too.

 

Around them, the forest seemed to teem with life, and Izuku could swear he saw something blue flashing across the field just on the corners of his vision.

 

Izuku shook his head before looking over his shoulder. “Sora said it wasn’t too far up, we should see it any second.”

 

Momo pointed over Izuku’s head. “Is that it?”

 

The three adventurers looked in the direction Momo was pointing and were confronted with what could only be described as a giant flower bud. It was as if the massive superflora was ready to bloom, but something was keeping it closed. All around it were smaller flowers and large trees, forming a sort of canopy around the giant plant

 

Izuku hesitantly approached the green flower bud, spotting some orange pads around the base that seemed sturdy enough, forming a makeshift ramp up to a small, spongy platform.

 

In response to his presence, the smooth, shiny pod seemed to glow, sucking the light out of the surrounding wood and sending a purple mist floating around the forest floor, clinging to the morning dew that still hung from the blades of grass. The chill was intimidating, but not threatening.

 

Whatever magic this was, it was ancient.

 

“Boy... Sweet boy... Please... Listen to my story…” The voice that escaped the pod was alluring, if not distorted by what sounded like an echoing chamber.  
  
Izuku looked over his shoulder, receiving hesitant nods from his companions. “Sure.”   
  
“I am the Great Fairy Nemuri... This place was once a beautiful spring... But as time passed, fewer and fewer travelers arrived to offer me rupees. As a result, my power has abandoned me. I'm nearby powerless now, so I beg your help. I need rupees to become whole again. All i need is 100 Rupees... Once my power has been restored, I can help you do great things, boy.”   


The hero felt sweat drip down the back of his neck at the ridiculousness of it all. “But, the Sheikah didn’t mention anything about Rupees.”

 

“Er, must have, ahem… slipped their minds.” A pale hand with immaculately manicured nails reached out. “Now... If you have rupees, hand them over to me. Quickly!”

 

Izuku looked over his shoulder at Momo and Ochaco, who were both wearing equally incredulous expressions. He hissed in a lowered voice. “Do you have extra Rupees!?” Ochaco fumbled with her pockets until Momo stopped her, reaching into her pouch and producing a single silver Rupee.

 

Ochaco had stars in her eyes as she stared at the glimmering gem.

 

Momo had the temerity to look a little sheepish. “Royal Guard means I have access to Royal funds. Princess Zelda told me to use this money on you both should you need it.” She quickly rushed forward and placed the silver Rupee into Izuku’s hand.

 

Izuku mouthed a quick thanks before turning back to the giant hand. “...Alright.”

 

Nemuri’s hand snatched the Rupee quickly before disappearing back into the pod.  “Thank you. You are too kind.”  
  
The pod seemed to shift a bit, almost as if it was… digesting the stone. “Aah... The power... It's overflowing!” The leaves of the pod began peeling back to reveal a small pool of water. Suddenly the surface of the fountain began bubbling, and out of the water burst an enormous figure. It was a giant woman, mostly Hylian in appearance but ethereally beautiful. She must have stood at least 30 feet tall, with glimmering scales covering her body, leaving very little to the imagination. Her eyes sparkled like sapphires, framed by cascading hair, black as midnight.

 

”Ah-HAAAAAAAAAAA!” She reached to the sky with a cheer before settling down to lean against the edge of the fountain, seeming to lavish in the morning air as the light in the clearing returned to normal.  
  
“Haahhhh... Oh, what a feeling! That first breath of fresh air after an eternity of decay... It's just so intoxicating!” Her eyes caught sight of Izuku, her pupils dilating and a wicked grin crossing her face. “And YOU, _speaking of intoxicating_.” She reached forward, running a ruby red nail down Izuku’s cheek and toward his collarbone, loosening the drawstrings.

 

“How would you like me to repay you for your gracious _donation_.” She licked her lips seductively. “The fountain is quite cozy, and I’m certain I could make you feel veeerry comfortable.” The last couple of words were almost a purr, each syllable punctuated with a pluck from the fairy’s nail against Izuku’s tunic.

 

The owner of said tunic was currently frozen solid with fear and another emotion he couldn’t quite find a name for. He could feel his face burning, but he was unable to find the resolve to move.

 

“Oh? A shy one? Don’t worry sweetie, I’ll be gentle.” She began leaning in, her lips pursing slightly until she was cut off by the sound of Momo clearing her throat.

 

Both Nemuri and Izuku, freed from his self induced paralysis, looked to the right to see an awestruck Ochaco and a furiously blushing Momo.

 

Nemuri glanced at Izuku, placing a nail under his chin to bring his face back to hers. “You brought friends? Two perky young women?” She glanced back over, appraising the two. “We have the girl next door, just my type.” Ochaco made a small squeak before adopting a blush of her own. “And tall, dark, and mysterious. Hmmm…” Nemuri licked her lips again. “I’d _love_ to see under that suit.”

 

She looked back at Izuku. “Oh darling, this is wonderful, the more the merrier.”

 

“Izuku!” Momo sounded scandalized.

 

“R-Right, uh.” Izuku shook himself, trying to regain his composure. “The Sheikah, er, sent us to, uh. Could you stop that?” Izuku gently pushed away the finger that had been drawing lines across the musculature of his chest.

 

Nemuri pouted. “Oh you’re no fun, why don’t you relax a little~”

 

“L-Like I was saying, the Sheikah sent us because they need help. There have been reports of fires in the woods?”

 

Nemuri’s face went from being seductive and playful to serious in record time. “Ah.”

 

Izuku nodded. “Y-yeah, we were told you might be able to help us.”

 

“Hmm…” Nemuri leaned away from Izuku, giving the young man a chance to breathe again. “It is true this has been a problem. I had to close my bud to conserve my strength. Thanks again, by the way.” She shot a wink at Izuku, who gestured weakly at Momo.

 

The fairy pursed her lips, deep in thought. “It’s true that these fires have been a problem. Even deep in my pod, I’ve been cognizant of the issues at hand.” She cast her hand through the air, the mist that swirled around her rising up and condensing into shapes. “These fires, they are not of natural causes.” The mist formed a shadowy figure, tall and lanky, wielding an oddly shaped blade. “The perpetrator seems to be wielding a blade that can create blazes.”

 

Momo tilted her head. “Like a flame blade? Those create fires, but none have ever been reported on this scale.”

 

“Aren’t you a clever little thing.” Nemuri winked at Momo. “While this object seems to share similarities with that type of weapon, there’s something… malicious about this.”

 

Ochaco cautiously raised a hand. “Can you… tell us anything else?”

 

Nemuri focused on the brunette. “Oh my goodness, I could just eat you up.” Ochaco turned crimson. “But sadly, no. That is all I’m able to ascertain. It feels like there’s a haze in the way. If you want to know more, I suggest you ask around the outskirts of Kakariko.”

 

The giant fairy pointed her thumb along the path behind her fountain. “If you keep heading east you will find some more of the settlements along the Lanayru promenade. Ask there.”

 

“Head east… got it.” Izuku nodded before turning back to the fairy. “Thank you, Nemuri.”

 

“Of course, cutie. Now,” she leaned back in, getting close to Izuku, “is there _anything else I can do for you?”_ The sudden huskiness in her voice sent shivers up Izuku’s spine. He was seconds away from protesting before he remembered the weight on his back.

 

“Actually, there is one thing-” Izuku reached around and dug into his pack, producing his patched tunic and the tattered remains of his scarf. “Is there… anything you can do with this? It means a lot to me…”

 

Nemuri leaned in and began inspecting the garments. “Hm… These are beautifully crafted.” Her eyes caught on the hole of the shoulder where there was still some slight discoloration from Izuku’s blood. “And has already seen some use.”

 

The fairy sat for a minute, taking the clothes from Izuku and running her fingertips over them. “These won’t be easy to enhance but…” she smiled at Izuku, “given the right materials, I think I can, at least a little.”

 

“What do you need?” Izuku asked hesitantly.

 

Nemuri’s face split into a sadistic smile. “Well, if your… _purity_ is off the table-” Izuku yelped. “Then I’d like you to bring me this flame blade. Whatever enchantment is on that should be enough for me to fix up and upgrade your clothing.”

 

The young man nodded numbly. “...Right.”

 

“Now go and impress me, Hero~” Nemuri put her arms above her head, stretching with an exaggerated moan that, judging by the blushes on the three adventurers’ faces, was achieving its desired effect.

 

“BYYYYYEEEEE!” The large woman spun around before submerging back into her fountain.

 

Izuku stepped back down onto the forest floor before dropping to his knees.

 

“...I need an adult.”

 

From the fountain, he heard Nemuri say, “I am an adult!~”

 

Izuku groaned weakly into the grass.

 

Ochaco knelt down and patted him on the shoulder sympathetically. “Let’s get you back to town.”

 

* * *

 

After giving Izuku a chance to breathe, Ochaco and Momo helped the young man relay the information Nemuri had given them to the leaders of the Sheikah.

 

Sora stroked his short beard thoughtfully, leaning back in his chair and humming to himself. “Interesting. She believes it is a person committing these acts.”

 

“It makes the most sense,” Shinya offered, “fire chu chu are too random, and their flames are as easily extinguished as they are. No, now that we have this information it makes too much sense to dismiss these fires as anything but planned attacks.”

 

Momo raised a hand. “The fairy also encouraged us to investigate around the Lanayru Promenade. She believes that is where the arsonist is hiding.”

 

“Ridiculous!” Enji exclaimed. “The Todorokis guard that part of our lands. How dare you suggest anything could slip by our watch.”

 

Emi snorted. “In that case, I’m betting you wouldn’t mind if these kids did a little looking around?”

 

The large man made a sound halfway between a growl and a curse. “I don’t see why that’s necessary. Now that we know the issue, my clan can eliminate this criminal.” He shot a dirty look Izuku’s way. “No need to get the _little hero_ involved.”

 

Ochaco felt her blood boil just a bit, opening her mouth to retort until Izuku spoke up.

 

“I understand you don’t trust me. I haven’t done anything to earn your trust yet.” Izuku spoke with a resoluteness that Ochaco hadn’t heard before. “I never asked to be the hero, but here I am. I will do everything within my power to stop this threat because Hyrule _needs_ the Sheikah if we’re all going to repel Ganon when he rears his head.”

 

The faces of three of the four Sheikah began to soften.

 

“Please, let me earn your trust.”

 

Emi immediately started laughing. “Damn, son. I’m sold.”

 

Sora and Shinya nodded in agreement, causing Enji to seethe.

 

“I’d say that gives a majority, Enji. If you’d be so kind, take these three back to your neck of the woods so they can investigate.”

 

Enji stood up quickly, storming out before barking at his son. “Shoto, show the three _outsiders_ to our lands. I’m going to go train seeing as I’m the only one around here who _hasn’t_ gone soft.”

 

The tall man burst out of the double doors of the temple, stomping down the stairs, his anger clinging to him like a fog.

 

Shoto sighed before gesturing to the trio of adventurers. “Follow me, my old man is probably gonna be out tonight.”

 

* * *

 

The walk to Lanayru Promenade was uncomfortably quiet. Aside from Izuku’s caginess as they passed by the fairy fountain, very little was said. Shoto didn’t seem to be the conversational type.

 

As the four passed under a stone archway, Momo hazarded another attempt at conversation.

 

“So, Shoto, you’re training to be a Sheikah warrior?

 

“Yes.”

 

“That must take a considerable amount of work and practice.

 

“Mhmm.”

 

Momo felt herself groan internally. _‘This man has about as much personality as a tree branch.’_

 

“Your parents must be proud.”

 

Shoto seemed to flinch. His mouth opened as if he was going to reply before clamping shut, his lips drawn into a tight line.

 

 _‘That’s… odd.’_ Momo shared a look with Izuku and Ochaco, who both had equally concerned looks on their faces.

 

* * *

 

“I’m home, we have guests,” Shoto announced as he led his companions through the stone arch and wooden doors of the Todoroki home.

 

Izuku was still caught in the wonder of the stone masonry of the Promenade, dozens of homes seemed to be carved into the cliffs, each connected by stone bridges and walkways that crisscrossed a large, flowing river that collected the runoff from the icy Mount Lanayru to the east.

 

The Todoroki home was at the easternmost edge of the Promenade, at the end of one of the larger bridges overlooking another stone arch that was situated at the end of the visible river before the water continued up from underground caverns.

 

A feminine voice rang through the home. “I’ll be right there!”

 

Shoto gestured to the side of the entryway, where a series of shoes were set. The young man kicked off his own before walking further into the foyer.

 

Izuku knelt down, removing his boots next to Momo and Ochaco, the three placing their footwear down and following. Just as they made their way through the large entryway, the owner of the feminine voice appeared. A young Sheikah woman, likely a couple years older than Izuku, entered the room, offering the adventurers a warm smile.

 

“It’s nice to meet you, I didn’t know we’d be expecting visitors.” She offered a bow. “My name is Fuyumi.”

 

Izuku bowed in return. “I’m Izuku, this is Momo and Ochaco. Thank you for welcoming us into your home.”

 

Fuyumi nodded happily. “Of course, is Father expecting you?”

 

“He’s pissed, Izuku’s the new Hero of Legend, these are his companions. He’s probably gonna be sulking all night.” Shoto responded.

 

“Shoto!” Fuyumi sounded scandalized, but something about her tone of voice indicated that her heart wasn’t in it. “Sorry about him, he’s… wait.” Her eyes widened as the rest of Shoto’s sentence sunk in.

 

“Y-y-you’re.” Fuyumi raised a shaky finger, staring Izuku down. She quickly dropped into a low bow. “Apologies! It is an honor to have you in our home!”

 

Izuku put his hands up placatingly, his face turning a deep crimson. “Please, there’s no need for that! Thank you so much for your hospitality.”

 

Fuyumi stood up quickly before bustling off to another part of the house. “Natsuo get down here! The Hero of Legend is here!”

 

“Sorry about her, she’ll calm down eventually.” Shoto sighed. “Here, let me show you to your rooms.”

 

The trio was led through a series of hallways, Shoto opening the doors to three rooms. “Here, take your pick, they’re all pretty much the same. Either Natsuo or I will come to get you when dinner is ready.”

 

With that, Shoto quietly made his way out of sight, leaving Izuku, Ochaco, and Momo to wordlessly enter their rooms and get comfortable for the evening.

 

* * *

 

“Blessed Hylia, thank you for this meal,” Fuyumi prayed. The meal she had prepared, much like the dinner in the main village, was predominantly vegetarian, though Izuku didn’t mind.

 

A taller Sheikah man who looked like a kinder, more slender version of Enji had brought them all to dinner after introducing himself as Shoto’s older brother, Natsuo. The man was the opposite of his younger brother, being very outspoken and borderline boisterous. He seemed to wear an easy smile, but there was something off about it... as if he was hiding something.

 

Momo glanced around the table. “I suppose your father won’t be joining us after all?”

 

Natsuo snorted. “Nah, the old bastard is just pissy cause he probably doesn’t like hero boy here stepping in on his ‘turf’.”

 

Fuyumi looked scandalized again, but also like she didn’t have it in her to dispute Natsuo’s comment.

 

“Why does he seem to have such animosity toward Izuku?” Momo asked. “Without the Hero, we don’t stand a chance against Ganon.”

 

“See that,” Natsuo started, his mouth full of rice, “is where dear old Dad would disagree.” He took a gulp before continuing. “See, the old man thinks that a unified assault by the Sheikah would be more than enough. Plus, he’s been researching the location of the Master Sword for years now. He thought it was locked away under some old temple somewhere, looks like he was looking in the wrong place.”

 

Ochaco frowned. “But… doesn’t the wielder of the sword need to be… well,” she gestured to Izuku. “Doesn’t the sword only respond to one person every lifetime or so?”

 

“He thinks that as long as you possess enough courage, anyone could use it,” Shoto muttered bitterly. “That, to him, translates into ‘training’ every day. Not bad enough he already drove Touya out over it.”

 

Momo cocked her head. “Touya?”

 

Fuyumi looked down sadly. “Our oldest brother, he got sick of Dad’s training regime and left home to explore Hyrule.”

 

Natsuo stood up suddenly, his face unreadable. “I’m gonna go on patrol for a little bit. Scout out the area, I can map it out for you so you can look around tomorrow.” He left his unfinished dinner behind and quickly walked out of the dining area.

 

“Don’t mind him, he just needs a bit to cool off. I’m sorry, please try to enjoy your meal.” Fuyumi’s voice was pained, despite the smile she forced on her face.

 

* * *

 

That night, none of the three adventurers got much sleep.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks, Epicderpybro2 for beta reading this chapter
> 
> I hope the chapter was worth the wait, Nemuri is fun to write for sure.
> 
> Next Time: our heroes do some sleuthing


	10. Flame and Snow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The adventurers go on a search and find more than they bargained for.

Izuku woke up with a start. The cold stone of the Todoroki household did little to hold in heat once the fires went out. The young man rose slowly, wrapping himself against the cold and walking to the fireplace, retrieving a piece of flint and some fresh wood from the basket next to the fireplace and getting another blaze going.

 

There was a gentle knock at his door, and in the early hours of the dawn, Izuku couldn’t imagine anyone else was awake. He padded over on cold, bare feet that slowly warmed as the heat from the fire began to spread into the room. On the other side of the door was Ochako, who was in a similar state.

 

“Hey Izuku, I heard you moving around in here. M-my fireplace is fresh out of supplies, can I warm up in here?”

 

Izuku, too tired to think of the implications of being alone with a young woman in a bedroom, simply nodded and stepped aside to let her in.

 

Ochako quickly bustled over to the fire, settling down on the floor and nearly purring as she soaked in the heat. “Thanks, Izuku.”

 

“No problem.” Izuku began closing his door, noting the soft glow coming from under Momo’s door.

 

_ ‘She must have plenty of supplies in there.’ _

 

The young woman in Izuku’s room patted the bit of floor next to her. “Come on over, the fire’s fine.”

 

Izuku snorted, grabbing some extra blankets from his bed and wrapping them around both himself and Ochako as he sat down with the young woman in front of his fire.

 

An eternity seemed to pass in front of the fire with Izuku comfortably nestled up to Ochako, the two savoring the feeling of being warm and dry, with only momentary pauses for Izuku to toss another log or two on the fire.

 

Ochako hummed softly. “Do you really think we’ll be able to stop this person making all the fires?”

 

“I don’t have a choice. Everyone is counting on me, and I can’t miss this chance to gain the Sheikah’s trust.”

 

Izuku felt a nudge to his shoulder, Ochako’s warm brown eyes looking at him intently as she leaned in close. “ _ We _ .” 

 

“Hmm?” 

 

“You keep saying ‘I’, but you’re not alone anymore. You have me-” Ochako froze for a second, noticing the sudden distance between their faces. She quickly withdrew to a more modest distance. “-er, and Momo too. You have us, we’re in this together and we’re  _ going _ to help you, no matter what.” 

 

“Thanks, Ochako, that means a lot.” Izuku gave the young woman a warm smile, allowing himself to feel a little reassured.

 

“Of course,” Ochako began before turning back with a playful grin, “plus, if anything happens to you, I lose my chance at finding treasure.”

 

Izuku snorted. “Right, I almost forgot about that. Don’t worry though, I’ll deliver on my end of the deal.”

 

The brunette giggled softly, suddenly fighting to suppress a yawn. “I know, I trust you.”

 

A few silent moments passed by, the two adventurers struggling to stay awake.

 

“We’re gonna be okay, Izuku. I know we will.” Ochako mumbled as she leaned her head on Izuku’s shoulder.

 

Izuku felt his eyes grow heavy again, “Thank you Ochako…”

 

Within minutes, the two adventurers had fallen asleep, both of them leaning on each other. Their collective warmth enough to let them forget the lack of a fire and get through the cold night. 

 

Together. 

 

* * *

 

Momo had only woken a handful of times in the night, each time only to keep the fire in her room going. As she rose for the final time, the morning light filtering in through the crystalline blocks in the walls of the room, she felt groggy.

 

It hadn’t helped that the previous night’s conversation had been… upsetting, to say the least. But her bedroom was freezing. A small part of her missed the warmth of her bedroom in the castle. When she shut her eyes, she imagined herself there, warm and safe… the sounds of the horses in the stable and the crickets in the air, the soft breathing of Izuku-

 

Momo’s eyes snapped open.

 

_ ‘What was that?’ _

 

She felt a surge of confusing feelings flow through her, followed swiftly by the rumble of her stomach.

 

_ ‘It’s probably just hunger. I should wake the others.’ _

 

The princess in disguise slipped out of her room and into the hallway, seeing a glow emanating from under Izuku’s door. Biting her lip softly, she reached forward to knock.

 

From inside, a sudden shuffling was very noticeable. The door cracked open, and a very drowsy and disheveled looking Izuku responded. 

 

“Momo! Good morning, sorry I guess we drifted off.”

 

“We?”

 

Izuku blanched. “Er, uh.”

 

“We!” Ochako called from within.

 

Momo felt a pit develop in her stomach.

 

Had they been…

 

Ochako suddenly appeared at the door. “Sorry, Momo. I ran out of flint and firewood. Izuku let me crash in here so I could get warm for the night. I guess we both drifted off while we were talking.”

 

The pit lessened.  _ ‘Of course… that makes sense.’ _

 

“W-well, I was just thinking about getting some food, would you two like to join me?”

 

Izuku nodded, clutching his stomach. “That’d be great actually. Um-” he turned to Ochako. “Do you mind if I get changed in here really quick?”

 

“It’s your room, silly.” Ochako laughed before stepping out into the hallway, still bundled in her blankets, hair sticking up on one end and an adorably sleepy smile on her face.

 

Momo resisted the urge to smooth Ochako’s hair out.

 

Izuku slipped back into his room with a soft click of his door and Ochako shuffled into her own with a shiver as she opened her own door. Momo could practically feel the chill coming from inside.

 

_ ‘She wasn’t kidding.’ _

 

Ochako grimaced before walking inside and shutting the door as well, leaving Momo alone in the hallway with a host of feelings she hadn’t considered the past couple days.

  
  


Fuyumi greeted the trio happily that morning. Ochako was stunned by how hospitable the young woman could be considering how rude her father was.

 

“I’m sorry for how cold it gets here. I know how uncomfortable it can get in here.”  The young Sheikah woman smiled apologetically as she served up some cucco eggs. 

 

The three adventurers assured her that they had been perfectly comfortable. 

 

“You don’t have to lie,” Shoto quietly deadpanned, “this place is like an icebox at night.”

 

Izuku shifted nervously. “It got a little cold I guess, but uh-” he seemed to wake up a bit more as he took another quick bite of egg, “do you think you could take us out to the surrounding forests today so we can look around?”

 

Shoto nodded, finishing his own plate and rising slowly. “I’ll go get my gear, meet me at the entrance when you’re ready.”

 

Without another word, the young man left and silently walked back to his bedroom.

 

“Don’t mind Shoto,” Fuyumi fretted, “he’s been like that every since Mother-” The young woman clapped her hand over her mouth softly. “I apologize, that was… too personal. I should be going now.” Without another word, Fuyumi bustled out of the dining area and into the rest of the estate.

 

Ochako felt the overwhelming urge to ask further questions, but the discomfort of the situation prevented her.

 

It seemed her sentiment was shared by Izuku and Momo.

 

“Should we…” Izuku hesitated. 

 

Momo nodded. “Yeah, let’s get going.”

 

* * *

 

Izuku breathed deeply of the mountain air as he followed Shoto around the base of Mount Lanayru. The scenery was gorgeous, with the mountain coated in perpetual snow and ice creating plenty of runoff to keep the surrounding area lush and green year round.

 

“So this is the edge of where we’ve had reports of fires.” Shoto pointed to some of the trees near the border of the small clearing where Izuku spotted some burnt stumps.

 

The young hero jogged over and began sifting through the ashes, completely unsure of what he was looking for. Momo and Ochako quickly joined him, following his lead and also brushing through the remains of the wood.

 

Ochako leaned over, whispering to Izuku. “What are we looking for?”

 

Izuku grunted, trying to come up with a reply when he spotted something.

 

_ ‘Is that…’ _

 

The young man analyzed what he was seeing for a moment before noticing a pattern.

 

“Footprints?”

 

Izuku jolted up, following the makeshift path toward the border of the small clearing where the footsteps left faint ash marks in the grass, all the way up until… 

 

He quickly turned around, waving the others over as they all stared at him in confusion. 

 

“Here! Footprints in the snow!”

 

The other three bolted over, attempting to see the same markings Izuku had found.

 

Momo’s eyebrows creased. “You don’t think-”

 

“Only one way to find out,” Izuku replied, hoisting himself up into the snow and following the tracks as his companions scrambled to catch up to him.

 

_ ‘The sooner I find this arsonist, the better.’ _

 

* * *

 

The trek following the footprints was a cold one, with Izuku feeling himself shiver desperately in the biting cold.

 

Behind him, he could hear Ochako’s teeth chattering. “W-we should have dressed f-for this.”

 

“I’m sorry guys, I just know there’s something ahead.”

 

“How do you ‘just know?’” Momo called out, her voice sounding more than a little exasperated.

 

Izuku ran a hand through his hair which was already starting to collect a dusting of snow. “These tracks, they lead away from the fires. Whoever did this must be staying somewhere in the mountain. I know that if we follow them we’ll find him or her.”

 

_ “How perceptive of you.” _

 

Izuku had seconds to dodge before a rush of fire whooshed past him. He quickly stumbled back, unsheathing his sword and grabbing for his shield. 

 

“Nice reflexes,” a smooth voice deadpanned. “Bad choice though.”

 

The edge of a blue blade caught the corner of Izuku’s shield, immediately igniting the wooden object and causing Izuku to toss the shield away in a panic.

 

An arrow whizzed by Izuku’s ear, nearly hitting its target before being disintegrated into ash after getting within inches of the glowing blue greatsword the man was holding.

 

“Who are you!?” Izuku shouted at the man.

 

The arsonist laughed. “Going by the name Dabi these days. Not that it matters much, you’re gonna be dead in a few minutes,  _ hero. _ ”

 

The feeling of cold was forgotten as adrenaline began to course through Izuku’s veins. His vision sharpened and he was able to get a better look at the man in front of him. 

 

The arsonist seemed to be wearing a black traveler’s cloak. The bottom half of his face was obscured by a purple mask and his hair was an ashy gray.

 

What stood out to Izuku the most were the pair of red eyes that seemed to bore a hole into his soul. 

 

Something about those eyes felt famili-

 

The arsonist swung his greatsword down in a heavy strike that Izuku just barely had time to dodge. A column of flame erupted from the impact zone, singing the hairs on Izuku’s arms.

 

From his left, Momo and Shoto both leaped at the villain, each taking cautious swipes at the man who moved almost effortlessly in spite of the size of the sword he was wielding. 

 

“Too slow,  _ Todoroki! _ ” Dabi spat out the last word in disgust.

 

Shoto’s eyes seemed to widen in shock and confusion, leaving him wide open as the arsonist took a wild swipe at him. He was narrowly saved by the quick thinking of Ochako, who leaped from her spot in the snow, tackling the Sheikah boy away.

 

Momo moved in to take Shoto’s place, managing to get in close enough to cut the arsonist along the forearm. With a furious yell, he lashed out, hitting Momo in the stomach with the butt of his blade and sending the young woman back before she could be caught in another gush of blue flame.

 

“You-” Izuku felt his blood grow hot, charging the man with fury in his bones. He began hacking violently at the man, the frenzy of motion faster than the arsonist was ready for, but also incredibly reckless. 

 

Just as Izuku swiped down, the villain released his blade with one hand and grabbed Izuku by the front of the tunic and threw him to the side.

 

The young hero rolled through the snow, letting go of his sword along the way and slamming into a tree with a cough. 

 

A small trickle of blood dripped down through his teeth before he could steady himself. In front of him, Momo had recovered enough to resume attacking alongside Ochako, who was wielding Shoto’s serpentine headed spear. 

 

Izuku stood up slowly, trying desperately to get his muscles to move faster as he reached for his sword. 

 

The moment his fingers clasped around the hilt, the arsonist let out another large yell and plunged his blade into the ground, creating a shockwave that knocked not only Izuku’s allies down but also sent him reeling into the same tree with a sickening thud.

 

In a moment, his whole world went white.

 

* * *

 

_ “Wake up, kid!” _

 

Izuku felt his eyes flutter open, his vision blurry as he stared up into an endless blue void.

 

“Toshi?”

 

The former hero grabbed onto Izuku’s arm, roughly pulling the boy into a seated position. “Yeah, it’s me. Listen, we don’t have time. You need to get back out there  **_now_ ** .”

 

“Wha-” Suddenly the memories came flooding back into his head and Izuku shot to his feet before nearly collapsing in a dizzy mess.

 

“Goddesses...” Toshi steadied Izuku. “Listen, we weren’t going to have you try this till later, but I don’t see any way around it right now.”

 

Izuku looked at Toshinori, confusion plain on his face. 

 

The taller man ruffled his unruly golden hair with a sigh. “Listen, the sword is magic, right? It’s time you tapped into it. In your current state, I’m not sure how much you can handle, so you’re just gonna have to try and unleash it all.”

 

“Unleash it… how?”

 

Toshinori groaned. “I… Look, just uh… channel all your focus and energy into the sword, it should know what to do from there. If you concentrate hard enough, you should be able to get past this guy’s fire aura since arrows are out and he has the advantage on you with how heavy and wild the magic in that sword is.”

 

“I noticed… It’s like what I’ve read flameblades are supposed to be, only his seems to be channeling much hotter fire. I also haven’t heard of flameblades being able to generate shockwaves. Could the sword have other abilities? Why does the Great Fairy want it if it’s this dange-”

 

“Kid!”

 

Toshinori’s voice pulled Izuku out of his nervous rambling.

 

“Uh, right. Channel the energy and unleash it. The sword will help.”

 

The taller man nodded nervously. “That’s right. Now wake up.”

 

“Right.”

 

Izuku felt his body began to dissolve into the familiar blue light.

 

“Oh, kid, one more thing.”

 

“Huh?”

 

Toshinori smiled weakly. “Don’t die.”

 

* * *

 

Izuku woke with a gasp, his body aching in protest as his lungs claimed the frosty air. He struggled again to focus his eyes on the white landscape in front of him. He was able to make out the fuzzy forms of what he assumed were his three companions fighting against the arsonist.

 

His hand gripped tightly onto the blade, and he pushed himself to his feet. Suddenly a wave of nostalgia came over him.

 

In his hand, the blade began to glow a faint blue. 

 

A fire lit in Izuku’s heart, and as if on instinct, he began to lift the blade skyward.

 

“GET DOWN.”

 

His friends heeded his advice, and without a second thought, Izuku channeled every last bit of his energy and desperation into the blade, swinging it down in a furious arc toward the villain.

 

A crack of thunder echoed in the air as a wild beam of light erupted from the blade and raced faster than the eye could track toward the villain, catching the man squarely in the midsection and sending him sprawling backward.

 

The man let out a frenzied shout, releasing his grip on the cursed sword and being pushed back several dozen feet into a snowbank.

 

Izuku too let out a cry as he felt his arm snap audibly, his hand unable to support the weight of the sword and letting it drop into the snow. “Someone, get the blade!”

 

Momo was on her feet immediately, lunging for the sword and pulling it further away from the arsonist’s grip.

 

Shoto jumped toward the arsonist, pulling the man up and shoving him on his face into the snow, furiously binding his hands behind his back with the cord of rope that bound the younger man’s overshirt.

 

As he pulled the villain up, Ochako gasped in shock, pointing at the man’s head.

 

Izuku cracked an eye through the pain to glance up only to spot the man’s hair turning white.

 

Wait…

 

Shoto, too, seemed shocked and began ruffling the man’s hair, eyes widening as ash was shaken off, revealing a mop of white hair. 

 

“No…” 

 

The young Sheikah cautiously pulled the mask of the downed and dazed villain off, revealing a face that looked nearly identical to Shoto’s.

 

“Touya?”

 

Ochako looked on Shoto in surprise. “You know him?”

 

Shoto fell to his knees. 

 

“He’s… my brother.”

 

* * *

 

After recovering from the shock of the revelation, Momo and Ochako began fussing over Izuku, noting the state of his right arm. Under the sleeve of his tunic, Izuku’s arm was a mess of purple and red.

 

“We need to get you out of the cold. It’s helping numb you now but we need supplies to set it and access to healing elixir.”

 

Izuku nodded sharply, grabbing the hilt of his sword and offering it to Ochako, who carried it like it was a priceless jewel in one hand, and the blue flameblade in the other as Momo helped support Izuku’s weight.

 

Behind them, Shoto dragged the mostly conscious Touya through the snow.

 

“What were you thinking? Injuring yourself like that.” Momo hissed at Izuku.

 

Izuku laughed weakly. “Wasn’t thinking, just had to help you all.”

 

“You seem to be kind of self-destructive for a hero,” Shoto muttered dryly. 

 

The hero shrugged. “A hero puts others first, right?”

 

Momo couldn’t help but feel her heart clench at that.

 

_ ‘He’s so noble. I just hope it doesn’t get him killed.’ _

 

“Just be more careful, okay? We got lucky this time.”

 

Izuku hummed in agreement, leaning into Momo and sending a tingle down her spine.

 

_ ‘I’m just glad he’s okay. And for now… his recklessness paid off.’ _

 

Momo looked back at Shoto as they carefully climbed down from the edge of the snowy bank back into the slightly warmer valley floor. “So… your brother?”

 

Shoto sighed. “He left months ago. Got sick of Dad and ran out. Can’t say I blame him… but this?” he shook his head. “I can’t fathom why he’d do this.”

 

“I guess we’ll have to ask him when he wakes up,” Momo offered. “For now, let’s head back to your home. We need to regroup.

 

The Sheikah replied with a curt nod and pulled Touya over his shoulder with a grunt before following behind the trio of adventurers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks Toony and Epic for beta reading this chapter
> 
> Next time: The fallout from this encounter has unintended consequences


	11. Questions and Answers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A return to the story

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check the bottom of the chapter for an announcement

The cool air of the Todoroki keep chilled Izuku to the bone as he was helped into the guest room where he had been staying. Fuyumi rushed to his side, immediately fussing over him and receiving the details of his likely concussion from Ochako. The young Sheikah woman rushed deep into the household and came back with a bag of ice and a large glass of water for the young Hylian. 

 

“Here, he should be propped up. Ochako, can you grab some pillows from the other room?”

 

The brunette immediately rushed off as Fuyumi gingerly felt around Izuku’s head, the young man hissing slightly as her fingers brushed the tenderness at the back of his skull. Fuyumi grimaced, brushing Izuku’s hair out of his face. “I’m going to apply the ice pack to the back of your head for a bit, try not to move, okay?”

 

Izuku grunted in response as Fuyumi did exactly as she said she would and the pack was placed on the bruised section on the back of his head. Within seconds, Ochako returned with more pillows and Izuku was propped up, head still resting against the ice. 

 

The young Sheikah woman looked at Ochako with concern. “I’ve got him for a while, are you hurt?”

 

Ochako shook her head. “Just a few scrapes and bruises.”

 

“Why don’t you go with Momo for a while, you two can look each other over and patch up. I promise I’ve got Izuku.”

 

“I…” Ochako hesitated before nodding. “Right, okay. Thank you.”

 

* * *

 

Momo grunted with effort as she attempted to remove the tight material of her Sheikah armor from her arms. It was proving harder than she had anticipated. Every muscle in her body screamed in protest, having gone from freezing cold to sudden action and back to inaction had left her feeling worse for wear. 

 

Right now she just wanted to get out of this armor so she could warm up and go check on Izuku.

 

 _“Momo?”_ Ochako’s voice filtered through the heavy wood of the door that separated Momo’s room. _“Can I come in?”_

 

The young princess checked her face to ensure her mask was still in place before limping to the door and letting Ochako in. 

 

The Hylian girl looked as exhausted as Momo felt, sporting her own assortment of small nicks and cuts here and there. Their confrontation with Dabi- or was it Touya? 

 

She shook her head. A question for later, once everyone was safe and secure. 

 

Either way, the battle had left them all a little worse for wear. After helping Shoto bring the villain in, Fuyumi and Natsuo had swept into action to ensure that not only was their potential oldest sibling was securely locked up, but that the younger Hylians were tended to.

 

Ochako was holding a set of bandages and other medical supplies, her face a mask of calm while Momo assumed there was a storm of worry broiling underneath.

 

“Did you want to help patch each other up? Fuyumi suggested I come over here while she…” Ochako’s voice trailed off as she glanced over her shoulder in the direction of Izuku’s room.

 

Momo felt her heart hurt. She was worried about Izuku as much as Ochako, but she could also see how much their friend’s injury was affecting Ochako. 

 

She needed to do something.

 

“Sure, come on, let’s make sure nothing is too badly injured.”

 

Momo strode over, pushing Ochako’s brown hair away from her face and neck, glancing around and checking for any cuts that needed dressing. From this close, she could almost smell the scent of mochi coming off of the other girl. The princess let her fingers glide down Ochako’s neck, stepping around to get a look at her entire collarbone area, almost missing the way Ochako’s permanent blush was seeming to spread.

 

“Are you alright?” Momo asked quietly.

 

Ochako nodded quickly, her eyes blinking rapidly.

 

“Could you, er, take off your tunic?” Momo fought the pit of anxiety and confusion that was welling up in her stomach as Ochako squeaked in response before undoing the laces around her neckline and slowly shifting out of the magenta fabric. 

 

Before Momo had a chance to be embarrassed, she spotted a small patchwork of pink splotches glancing up the young woman’s side. “Ochako, you’re burnt!” 

 

Momo tore through the collection of small tonics until she found a small blue elixir labeled “cooling.” She uncorked it and applied a small dab to the back of her own hand, immediately feeling an icy sensation chilling her skin.

 

“This’ll work. Sorry in advance, Ochako.” 

 

“Sorry for whaAACK!” Ochako yelped as the cooling elixir was rubbed over her abdomen. The brunette shivered bodily as the gel-like liquid began to work its magic into her system, turning the angry red splotches into the same tan of the rest of Ochako’s skin and the swelling subsided.

 

Momo sighed in relief. “Sorry for _that_. Chilling elixirs kind of work fast.”

 

Ochako glanced at her stomach and side in awe as the burn continued to fade slowly. “How’d you know that one would work?”

 

“Not my first time with that elixir. I once burnt myself playing in the kitchens as a child. At the end of the day, a chilling elixir is _supposed_ to be drinken to prevent heatstroke, but when applied like a balm it makes an incredibly effective burn reliever.”

 

The brunette continued to marvel as her skin continued to heal before her eyes. “Wow.”

 

Momo stifled a giggle at the childlike wonder with which Ochako marveled at the elixir. The other Hylian was truly adorable.... And surprisingly fit Momo noted as she now had a new appreciation for the strong body Ochako possessed. Her core was tight, though not overly defined, her arms were toned from years of farmwork, and her thighs, now no longer covered by the hem of her tunic, proved to be incredibly powerful looking.

 

A creeping blush made its way across Momo’s face as she realized she was _ogling_ her friend. She quickly forced her eyes downward in an attempt to not cast her gaze any further on her companion who was trusting her to _help_ her.

 

_‘You’re a princess, Momo. You were taught better than this.’_

 

Ochako glanced up with a smile that nearly caused Momo’s heart to stop.

 

_‘Get a GRIP Momo.’_

 

“Do you want me to check you over too?”

 

Momo nodded slowly. “Yes… I’d appreciate that. I’ve been having some trouble with the armor. I don’t have my full range of motion back.”

 

“I can help with that, here.” Ochako walked over, allowing Momo to loosen her sleeves before pulling on each end and finally removing the tight garment. 

 

“Oh-” Ochako muttered. Momo was confused for a moment before realizing she was still wearing her binder. 

 

The princess fought another round of blushing as she coughed gently. “It uh, helps to keep things bound.”

 

“R-Right.” 

 

Wait, was she getting flustered too?

 

Momo rubbed her neck slowly as Ochako began tentatively looking her over.

 

_‘Think about anything else… Izuku! Izuku is recovering.’_

 

Momo’s mind refocused on the picture of Izuku she kept in her mind. He had nearly scared her to death in the clearing when he fell unconscious. She knew he was still alive, she was certain that the triforce would inform her if the holder of courage was fallen.

 

Still, she had been relieved when he stood and managed to defeat the man who, for the rest of the battle, had seemed unbeatable.

 

She just hoped that he would be okay now that they were out of harms way

 

* * *

 

Izuku groaned as his eyes fluttered open again. He felt so relaxed, more relaxed than he had in a while. The sounds of soft humming delighted his ears and even softer hands made soft ministrations in his hair.

 

_‘I could stay like this forever.’_

 

…

 

_‘Wait, where am I?’_

 

The rush of memories came flooding back into Izuku like a runaway Goron. He sat up quickly, nearly headbutting the form of Fuyumi who was leaned over him, tending to the bandaging along his hairline.

 

“Izuku! You’re awake again! Thank the Goddess.” Fuyumi sighed, not backing away as she continued to check Izuku over. “How is your head feeling?”

 

The young man blinked slowly. “Um, better… I think. It doesn’t hurt as bad.”

 

“That’s good to hear. You definitely suffered a concussion, but I was able to pack some different herbs into your bandaging. I’m hoping they should help speed up your recovery.”

 

Izuku cocked an eyebrow. “What kind of herbs?”

 

Fuyumi shrugged, finally sitting back. “Oh, the stalks of hearty radish, some Hylian herb, and some spare cool safflina from the mountain. It should rejuvenate you more quickly while also reducing any swelling.”

 

“Wow, where did you learn all that?”

 

The young woman’s smile faltered. “My mother. She taught me.”

 

Izuku felt immediately guilty. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.”

 

“No no,”  Fuyumi shook her head. “It’s okay, it’s been two years already.”

 

The Hylian tilted his head, clearly confused but unwilling to verbally ask for Fuyumi to continue.

 

“It was two years ago my mother left for Hebra. She… she and my father were wed for political arrangements. He needed a marriage from a powerful clan in order to ensure he received a place on the council. He had plenty of rupees and paid off my granparents. His marriage to my mother was not a happy one, to say the least.”

 

Shoto snorted from the doorway. “You can say that again.”

 

“Shoto!” Fuyumi snapped. “When did you get here, shouldn’t you be with Natsuo?”

 

The Sheikah boy shrugged. “Touya is out cold, he’s not going anywhere. I wanted to check on Izuku.” he nodded to the other young man. “Glad to see you’re conscious.”

 

“Thanks,” Izuku murmured before turning back to Fuyumi.

 

“Well, anyway,” Fuyumi shot a pointed look at her younger brother, “Mom couldn’t take my father’s temper. He… I’m sure you’ve sort of seen already, but he isn’t the most level headed.”

 

“He’s an abuser and an asshole.”

 

“Shoto!”

 

“What?” Shoto sighed. “It’s the truth. He was never satisfied unless he had more power. When the princess announced a couple years ago that Ganon was returning, dead old Dad _insisted_ that the reborn hero would come from the Sheikah. And more importantly, that the hero would come from _his_ family. He started training me, Natsuo, and Touya more intensely than before.” he nearly spat to his side. “He’d beat the shit out of us until we showed enough ‘courage’ for the day.”

 

Izuku hung his head. “I’m sorry.”

 

“Why?” Shoto walked over and put a hand on Izuku’s shoulder. “It’s not your fault. I’m actually glad you showed up. Means I don’t have to endure that bastard’s training anymore. The hero is reborn and it’s not me. I’m relieved.”

 

Fuyumi released her braid, threading her fingers through her hair. “Unfortunately, two years ago when Dad was training, Mom couldn’t take it anymore. She tried telling Dad to cut it out, and he slapped her. Next day, she had packed her bags and she was gone. Off to the Hebra mountains. We…” she slowed down her hands. “We haven’t heard from her in a while.”

 

“Now I’m really sorry.” Izuku shot the siblings a sympathetic look. “I wish I could do something.”

 

Fuyumi released her braid, leaning over and cupping Izuku’s cheek. “You really are the hero, aren’t you?” she gave him a soft smile. “It’s okay. Shoto, Natsuo, and I have each other. We look out for one another.”

 

“And…”

 

Shoto frowned. “Touya left not long after Mom did. I assumed he went after her but this…” he shook his head. “I never could have expected this.”

 

“He’s still unconscious?”

 

The Sheikah boy nodded. “Yeah. I’m not sure when he’ll be awake, your attack hit him pretty hard.”

 

Izuku opened his mouth, but Shoto cut him off. 

 

“Please don’t apologize, he nearly killed us all.”

 

“...Right.”

 

Fuyumi giggled before adopting a serious look. “I have a lot to ask him… I’m sure you and Natsuo do too. Let’s wait until he wakes up and ask him as much as we can.” she looked at Izuku. “You too, you’re a part of this now too.”

 

“I’ll do my best to help in any way I can,” Izuku replied.

 

Shoto nodded. “That’s all we ask. Thank you.”

 

* * *

 

Ochako managed to steady her heart rate in her room as she recovered from the experience of not only seeing but _attending to_ Momo in a relatively compromising state of dress.

 

She had been so close… it had been so confusing and exhilarating and... 

 

Guilty. 

 

She felt so guilty that she had been having all these borderline scandalous feelings and moments while Izuku was unconscious after saving them all.

 

Ochako pulled a fresh tunic over her head and resolved to spend time with Izuku so she could make up, at least to herself, the transgressions she had committed.

 

The young woman pressed the door open, fully expecting to see Izuku as she had left him: unconscious and recovering. 

 

“Oh, hey Ochako. Are you okay?”

 

Ochako stopped in her tracks, looking at Izuku sitting fully upright and writing in his journal.

 

“I-Izuku!?” 

 

“Hey, yeah I’m sorry for scaring yo-”

 

Izuku was cut off as Ochako rushed forward, throwing her arms around his neck and burying her face in him. “You’re okay! I was so worried!”

 

“Oh! Yeah, I’m okay,” Izuku replied, carefully patting Ochako on the back whilst sporting a furious blush. “To be honest, I was more worried about you and Momo.”

 

Ochako pulled back, her face contorted into disbelief. “You… got thrown against a tree, got knocked out, and destroyed your arm making magic with your sword before passing out again… and you were worried about me and Momo.”

 

“Uh,” Izuku scratched at his cheek, “yeah?”

 

“You are unbelievable, Izuku.” Ochako felt her heart flutter at the sight of this adorable, heroic man lying in front of her. 

 

“What?”

 

A knock at the door caught the duo’s attention. In the doorway stood Shoto, who was looking exhausted.

 

“Hey, if you’re feeling alright, would you mind coming with me to talk to Touya?”

 

Izuku glanced at Ochako who gave him a nod. “We just need Momo, then we can go.”

 

* * *

 

He just felt more confident with Momo and Ochako at his side. Izuku felt he would need it as he drew closer to the cells at the bottom of the cold stone home, his feet echoing on the floor of the pseudo-dungeon.

 

“Ah, do I have more visitors?”

 

The air somehow seemed to grow even colder.

 

Izuku shook off the feeling as he rounded the corner. Natsuo sat with his head in his hands and Touya on the other side of a set of bars, looking much different now that he was no longer fighting in the snow.

 

His hair truly was the same powder white of the rest of the Sheikah. His eyes were the same red, and when Izuku was able to stop and get a closer look, the young man in front of him was the spitting image of Enji. Maybe a bit lankier, but it was undeniable.

 

“Touya?”

 

The captive spat. “Yeah, that’s the name Mom gave me.”

 

Natsuo snapped up. “You don’t get to call her Mom after what you’ve done!”

 

“After what _I’ve_ done!? What about what _he_ did!?”

 

Izuku furrowed his eyebrows. “He?”

 

Touya grimaced. “Dear old _Dad._ ”

 

“Enji? I don’t understand?”

 

The young man sat up, cracking his neck. “Well then, let me _enlighten_ you. See, Daddy Dearest was never meant to become the head of a clan. He was a decent mercenary for years and got nice and rich and _bought_ our mother’s hand in marriage.” He looked at Natsuo, daring the other man to stop him. “Mom was the one meant to sit on the council. But when Dad bought her hand in marriage, he pushed her out of the way and took her spot.”

 

“How?” Izuku asked, though he was afraid of the answer.

 

“It’s easy to convince people your wife is insane when she’s so traumatized that she can’t say a word to her own defense.”

 

Shoko tensed up, looking down at the ground.

 

“So where does that leave you?” Izuku asked, deciding to figure out a solution for Enji Todoroki later.

 

Touya snorted. “What do you mean?”

 

“I mean,” Izuku started, walking closer to the bars, “you ran away from home and return later on in a disguise and wreaking havoc on the countryside of your home with a flame blade unlike anything ever seen before.” He wrapped his hands around two of the bars and leaned in. “How does a wayward son of a noble Sheikah family end up with that?”

 

The Sheikah man narrowed his eyes. “I’ve got nothing else to say to you.”

 

Sighing, Izuku turned away and pondered to himself for a moment. “What if I could offer you something?”

 

Momo frowned, glancing between Ochako and Izuku. "Izuku, what-"

 

He smiled at her, attempting to pour his confidence into his facial expression and silencing her concern.

 

Touya shifted on the floor, seeming to consider Izuku’s words. “What could you possibly offer me?”

 

“An audience with the elders to state your case against your father.” All three Todorokis looked stunned, so Izuku continued. “I mean, you left home to get back at your father. There’s no denying that he’s a bad person, so why not? The council trusts me enough as the Chosen Hero to at least hear me out. Plus, if all of you testify against him, there wouldn’t be any way to deny or refute his past actions.”

 

“You seriously think that’ll work?” Touya scoffed. “I can’t tell if you’re serious or not. Did you seriously just pull that plan out of your ass?”

 

Izuku shrugged. “More or less, yeah. If I’m honest, once I started down that path of thought, it was hard to turn back. But yes, to answer your questions, I think it’ll work.”

 

“How?” This time it was Natsuo who asked. There was no small amount of interest in his voice.

 

“Well, from what I’ve seen, even if the council don’t necessarily agree on everything, at least three of them seem amicable. Your father is an anti-royal dissident with some extreme ideas. It’s easy to see why the others might not like that.” 

 

Shoto hummed quietly. “The relationship between the Hylian royal family and the Sheikah has been strong for centuries, and he just wants to do away with it because he wants more power.”

 

“Right.” Izuku pointed to the other young man before looking back at Touya. “If we can get your father tried, will you give us the information we need?”

 

Touya went silent for what felt like ages before sighing. “Fine.”

 

* * *

 

Momo waited nervously just outside the room where Enji was being tried. When Izuku had come back up from the dungeon in the Todoroki household the previous day, he had insisted on speaking to the elders immediately.

 

All throughout the journey back to Kakariko, Izuku had been quiet, only saying a few words in response to Momo and Ochako’s questions about his health and how he felt his conversation had gone. Maddeningly he had given precious few details before hopping off Epona and storming into the main council building.

 

Ochako and Momo had stayed outside as per Izuku’s request and when he returned to them roughly an hour later, he seemed satisfied.

 

The same could not be said for Enji currently. Momo had heard the man roar in anger more than once. Granted, Momo wasn’t sure how _she_ would feel if her estranged child reappeared and testified against her. Not that Momo would ever do anything to wrong a child, but she could at least attempt to understand Enji’s position.

 

Hours went by as a line of Todorokis walked in and out of the main council chamber. The most curious person Momo saw that day was a rather frail-looking woman with a face that reminded her distinctly of Shoto and Fuyumi. Momo could only assume that the woman was the mysterious mother who Enji had driven into hospice. She walked into the room guided by two Sheikah guards looking like she was terrified of every step.

 

When she walked out, she looked like an entirely different woman. Her head was held high and she had a smile on her face. 

 

Finally, as the sun was dipping below the hills, Enji appeared in the doorway. Each arm was being held tightly by a strapping guardsman and he was being dragged kicking and shouting away. His eyes caught Momo’s and his incoherent screams began to get very specific.

 

 **_“This is your fault! You won’t get away with this, Princess! You and that damned idiot with the sword won’t get away with this! I will keep up safe-”_ ** He grunted as a guard pulled him roughly by the shoulder and his voice began trailing off as he got further and further away.

 

Momo’s brow furrowed until she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see Izuku’s tired but smiling face looking down on her. 

 

“We’re done here. Let’s head back, I’ll fill you and Ochako in tomorrow on all the details. We can talk to Touya all together in the morning.”

 

The princess in disguise nodded. “Okay, let’s go.”

 

* * *

* * *

Hey guys, Matty here! 

Sorry for the long wait for this chapter. I'm gonna level with you, this fic is the bane of my existence. It took me  _months_ to get under 4000 words done for this chapter. If it weren't clear already by the fact that I have literally started new fics while this fic has sit unattended for months, then let me say it now.

This fic is, unfortunately, on hiatus indefinitely.

I'm not saying I'll never return to it, but as far as my priorities go, I have other fics that bring me more joy to write and are much easier to write as well.

I love this concept and I'm not abandoning, but just don't expect another update any time soon. I really apologize if you love this fic and you're severely disappointed, but I hope you all can understand.

Thanks for all the love and support and feel free to check out any other of my fics if you want more of my writing!

**Author's Note:**

> Come on down to Discord Town where Epsilon110 let me carve out my own little nook on his server
> 
>  
> 
> [check it out](https://discord.gg/3FmREtg)


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